Unpaid carers contribute £445 million a day to the economy in England and Wales, finds new research.
The study, which was led by Carers UK and the University of Sheffield, used census data to determine the value of unpaid carers’ contributions across England, which came in at £162 billion per year.
This is almost a third (29%) higher than the value of unpaid care in 2011.
While the number of unpaid carers has gone down since a decade ago, the number of hours they are dedicating to care has significantly increased, thus adding to their higher economic contribution.
Unpaid carers are individuals who look after their family or friends with long-term illnesses or disabilities who cannot carry out day-to-day tasks independently, for no monetary gain.
More often than not, this results in the unpaid carer having to leave their job or cut down their hours so that they can prioritise the person in need. Obviously, this can have a negative impact on their mental and physical wellbeing.
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “It is deeply concerning that the increase in the value of unpaid care over the last decade is a result of fewer carers providing more hours of care. The ever-declining availability of social care means there is shrinking support for families to pull on – and they are left without a choice but to put other areas of their life on hold and provide more care.
“Having to care round the clock for a loved one has significant implications for people’s ability to stay in paid work, remain financially resilient and maintain their health. Lacking adequate support, unpaid carers feel they are being taken for granted.
“The Government must show that it values and supports unpaid carers by investing in and delivering quality care services for families in the longer-term. Carers need a funded National Carers Strategy and recognition within the NHS. For hundreds of thousands of carers on low incomes, they are desperate to see their financial support urgently reviewed.”
Leading the research, Professor Matt Bennett, Deputy Director of the Centre for Care at the University of Sheffield said: “The economic contribution made by unpaid carers has increased by 29% in the last decade and paints a stark picture of the savings they make to health care budgets. Without unpaid carers, our health and social care systems would collapse.
“In fact, our work shows that people are providing more hours of unpaid care than ever before. We hope policymakers see the urgent need to act to support unpaid carers.”
carlette Isaac
Unpaid carers contribute £445 million a day to the economy in England and Wales, finds new research.
The study, which was led by Carers UK and the University of Sheffield, used census data to determine the value of unpaid carers’ contributions across England, which came in at £162 billion per year.
This is almost a third (29%) higher than the value of unpaid care in 2011.
While the number of unpaid carers has gone down since a decade ago, the number of hours they are dedicating to care has significantly increased, thus adding to their higher economic contribution.
Unpaid carers are individuals who look after their family or friends with long-term illnesses or disabilities who cannot carry out day-to-day tasks independently, for no monetary gain.
More often than not, this results in the unpaid carer having to leave their job or cut down their hours so that they can prioritise the person in need. Obviously, this can have a negative impact on their mental and physical wellbeing.
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “It is deeply concerning that the increase in the value of unpaid care over the last decade is a result of fewer carers providing more hours of care. The ever-declining availability of social care means there is shrinking support for families to pull on – and they are left without a choice but to put other areas of their life on hold and provide more care.
“Having to care round the clock for a loved one has significant implications for people’s ability to stay in paid work, remain financially resilient and maintain their health. Lacking adequate support, unpaid carers feel they are being taken for granted.
“The Government must show that it values and supports unpaid carers by investing in and delivering quality care services for families in the longer-term. Carers need a funded National Carers Strategy and recognition within the NHS. For hundreds of thousands of carers on low incomes, they are desperate to see their financial support urgently reviewed.”
Leading the research, Professor Matt Bennett, Deputy Director of the Centre for Care at the University of Sheffield said: “The economic contribution made by unpaid carers has increased by 29% in the last decade and paints a stark picture of the savings they make to health care budgets. Without unpaid carers, our health and social care systems would collapse.
“In fact, our work shows that people are providing more hours of unpaid care than ever before. We hope policymakers see the urgent need to act to support unpaid carers.”