Poverty levels amongst those looking after a friend or family member who is older disabled or seriously ill are shockingly high, with millions of unpaid carers struggling to make ends meet.
Carers UK
- · 1 in 10 of all carers in deep poverty
- · 400,000 unpaid carers live in deep poverty – 50% below the poverty line
- · The rate of poverty amongst unpaid carers is 50% higher in comparison to those who do not provide unpaid care
- · 62% of those receiving Carer’s Allowance live in poverty – half a million carers
- · Carers UK is calling for an increase to earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance and an increase in support for unpaid carers on means-tested benefits
Extracts
New research shows that unpaid carers are much more likely to experience financial hardship, and that the rate of poverty is 50% higher for those looking after a friend or family member compared to those who do not provide unpaid care.
The report by WPI Economics for Carers UK, which was funded by arbdn Financial Fairness Trust, shows that a further 400,000 – nearly 1 in 10 of all carers – live in deep poverty, when the resources they have available are so scarce it places them more than 50% below the poverty line.
Carer’s Allowance, the main social security benefit for unpaid carers, is one of the lowest benefits of its kind at £81.90 a week. Figures from the report showed that half a million carers receiving Carer’s Allowance live in poverty. An even larger number of carers receiving means test benefits such as Universal Credit find themselves in poverty: 900,000 unpaid carers.
One of the main drivers of poverty is the difficulty of combining paid work with unpaid care. More than 600 people give up their job to care every day, and the report found a distinct gap in employment between working-age carers (62% in employment) and non-carers (75%). Other drivers included high social care costs and extra costs carers face, such as travel costs when accompanying the person they care for to appointments.
Carers UK respond to Adjournment Debate on 3 September – ‘Potential merits of a cross-Government carers strategy' (Sept 2024)
Extracts
We are grateful to Wendy Chamberlain, Member of Parliament for North East Fife, for securing this crucial debate early on in this Parliament.
The MPs who spoke in the debate set out a compelling case for the creation of a new National Carers Strategy, which Carers UK and carers themselves have long called for. We agree that such a strategy should be co-designed with carers, sponsored at the highest level of Government, and engage all departments which have responsibility towards unpaid carers.
A National Carers Strategy should be a high priority for the new Government.
Carers UK: PDF documents relating to Scotland, Wales & NI
Further information
- Carers UK: Key facts about caring
- Carers UK: Juggling Work and Care
- Carers UK: 28% unpaid carers across Scotland are living in poverty, with 1 in 12 in deep poverty
- Carers UK: Poverty and financial hardship of unpaid carers in Scotland
- Carers UK: New Report Highlights Urgent Need to Address Poverty (Wales)
- Carers UK NI: The experiences of poverty among unpaid carers in Northern Ireland
- Scottish Government: Adult Social Care: independent review
- Neurological Alliance Scotland: National Care Service: Does anyone know what it is?
Support & Information
- Carers UK: Getting financial support
- Carers Trust: Emergency financial support