It's
#CarersWeek
- a time to recognise and support the enormous contribution that the UK's 6.5 million unpaid
#carers
make every day to their family, friends and communities
Today
#CarersRightsDay
. Every year, this day helps us raise vital awareness of the work of unpaid carers and their needs, ensures carers are aware of their rights and lets carers know where to get help and support. Find out more here:
Today is Carers Rights Day. Hundreds of events are taking place across the UK today to help
#carers
get the support they're entitled to. Let us know what you're up to and share your photos with us on
#carersrightsday
🎉 It’s official! People juggling paid employment and unpaid care will have a
#RightToCarersLeave
for the very first time.
The Carer’s Leave Bill has received Royal Assent, meaning it will be the law for all employers in England, Scotland and Wales to provide carer’s leave. 🧵
New research for
#CarersWeek
finds the physical & mental strain of caring is jeopardising unpaid carers’ ability to care in the future as over half of
#carers
in the UK said they expect their physical (58%) and mental (57%) health and well-being to get worse in the next 2 years.
📢 Today is
#CarersRightsDay
!
#CaringCosts
carers. It costs them their finances, health, wellbeing, relationships & more. That’s why it’s so important carers know their rights and can get support.
If you’re a carer, you can find sources of support here:
Today is
#CarersRightsDay
!
It’s more important than ever that carers know their rights, so thank you to everyone who is getting involved to raise awareness. Find out more about Carers Rights Day on our website:
We know that many unpaid carers are feeling worried and unsure at the moment. You can find all our guidance at
We're updating this page as the situation changes and in response to the questions we're hearing from carers, so make sure to check back often.
We are thrilled to have won Charity Film of the Year at the
#CharityFilmAwards
! Our short film, "Two sides of the story", is a fantastic tribute to all the unpaid
#carers
who took part or shared their stories in the making of it.
Congratulations to our Director of Policy and Public Affairs,
@HolzhausenEmily
who's been awarded CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list for 30 years’ dedication to improving the lives of carers. Thank you for your continuing drive, tenacity & vision 🎉
Our new research released today for
#CarersRightsDay
shows unpaid carers are providing care worth £530 MILLION EACH DAY of the pandemic, leaving many carers exhausted. We're urgently calling for Government to put in place more support for carers. Read more
#CarersWeek
2023 is here!
It’s vital we come together to raise awareness of the huge challenges carers face and the support they need this week and beyond.
Join us and get involved 👉
Carer’s Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind – just £76.75 a week. It needs to be increased ASAP.
We gave evidence to
@APPGPoverty
about what changes need to be made to the benefits system for carers. In their report, they agree Carer's Allowance must be increased.
Today’s
#SpringStatement
does little to address the huge challenges unpaid carers are facing.
The government has once again overlooked unpaid carers for targeted financial support & there was no additional funding for social care.
This can’t continue. Carers need more support🧵
Sharing this powerful statistic on
#InternationalWomensDay
- every day in the last 2 years over 300 women have given up work to provide unpaid care for an older, disabled or ill relative or friend. We want to see
#carers
get the right to work flexibly and paid time off to care
We welcome the news that unpaid carers in England will be called forward for their first jabs in this next phase of the
#COVID19
vaccine roll-out. See our full comment here:
Today is
#CarersRightsDay
! Good luck to everyone running an event or activity to help carers know about their rights and find out about what support they are entitled to. Let us know what you’re doing using
#CarersRightsDay
Thanks to Carers World Radio for highlighting the concerns of unpaid carers in today's UK Government Covid briefing. We look forward to seeing the Government's plans for identifying and contacting carers for the vaccine
12,000 people in the UK become carers every day. That’s roughly 500 people an hour, and 8 people a minute.
Our new
#CarersRightsDay
research reveals the huge number of people who become carers.
It’s vital these people are identified, know their rights and can get support. 🧵👇
This
#CarersWeek
we're thanking all those who fundraise, donate, and volunteer to make life better for carers. You’re helping
#MakeCaringVisible
. Add Your Voice to the wall, pledge your support, share your activities - or download your Get Involved Guide.
This
#WorldAutismAwarenessDay
we're sharing Kim's poem 'The Autistic Avenger'. Kim cares for her teenage son Logan who has autism. Logan inspired her to write this poem which was highly commended in last year's
@CarersUK
poetry competition
#carers
Thank you to
@kategarraway
for shining a light on caring in
#CaringforDerek
.
Over 1 in 8 adults in the UK are carers and looking after someone can be incredibly challenging. If you're a carer, or know someone who is, visit our website for help and info -
📢 The Carer’s Leave Bill has passed in the House of Lords and is just one step away from becoming law!
This means millions of people juggling employment and unpaid care will have a
#RightToCarersLeave
for the very first time. 🧵
Today we sent a letter signed by 5000+ people to Chancellor
@rishisunak
, calling for more support for carers. The Government must recognise carers in the Budget, by introducing a £20 week supplement for those on Carer’s Allowance.
#FairerForCarers
📢 The Carer’s Leave Bill has passed in the House of Commons!
This is a huge step forward to securing greater recognition, rights and support for unpaid carers in the workplace.
The Bill now moves to the House of Lords.
#RightToCarersLeave
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has not included unpaid carers in its priority list for the COVID-19 vaccine. We think carers should be included urgently - see our statement here:
It's here! Good luck to everyone organising or taking part in events for
#CarersWeek
to get unpaid
#carers
connected to vital information, advice and support.
Thank you to
@EdwardJDavey
for standing up for unpaid carers in parliament and asking what the government plans to do to provide more practical and financial support for carers at
#PMQs
today.
It's essential carers get the support they need to care safely and well.
#CarersWeek
As it stands, 1.4 million people are caring - unpaid - for older and disabled relatives for more than 50 hours a week, & many can't work. They can't be expected to care round the clock and work too - clearly Government needs to invest properly in care services.
Hmmm.....Priti Patel suggests there are 8 millon "economically inactive" in UK who business cd employ. But these are overwhelmingly the long term sick, students, carers and the retired.
It's Carers Rights Day! A huge thank you to all those supporting carers by holding an event today. Remember to share what you're doing on social media using the hashtag
#CarersRightsDay
. We hope everyone has a fantastic day!
A massive thank you to
@wendychambLD
for bringing forward the Carer’s Leave Bill, which will give over two million unpaid carers a
#RightToCarersLeave
for the first time.
Thanks also to all the MPs who supported this Bill, which passed in the House of Commons today.
We started the new year by highlighting the intolerable pressure unpaid carers are under on
@BBCBreakfast
Unpaid carers desperately need more support to look after their own health and wellbeing.
This and future Governments need to do much more.
🧵 It's
#CarersRightsDay
, and we want to make sure you know your rights: today, tomorrow and in the future - so that you can get the support you need.
Do you care for someone? Find information, support and guides about your rights on our website:
Our new
#CarersRightsDay
research shows long-term financial impact of caring. A quarter of people caring for over 15 years report they have been in debt as a result of their caring role compared with one in ten (12%) of those who’ve been caring for a year
Our new research
#CaringBehindClosedDoors
found 81% of unpaid carers are providing more care due to the coronavirus outbreak. Read more about the impact of
#COVID
-19 on the millions of unpaid
#carers
here:
Success! New carers’ rights firmly put into Health & Care Bill as MPs vote for amendment to ensure duty to involve carers at hospital discharge. Includes young carers of adults & guidance will be strengthened. Thanks to everyone who supported our campaign!
40% of unpaid carers say they have given up work to care for a loved one.
This
#CarersRightsDay
, we’re highlighting new legislation which gives carers the right to unpaid Carer’s Leave, helping them balance work and care.
Make sure you know your rights:
"Carers have sacrificed their own breaks from caring, their physical & mental health, reduced their working hours and limited their contact with the outside world in an extraordinary effort to keep relatives safe. They must be prioritised for the vaccine"
2.6 million people in the UK have already left work to care for a loved one - the increasing number of
#carers
must be be supported to juggle their work and care.
@HolzhausenEmily
spoke to
@SallyBundockBBC
about the need for paid care leave in this morning's
#bbcthebriefing
“The biggest thing working
#carers
say they want is some understanding from their employer”. Madeleine Starr from
@CarersUK
and
#carer
Barbara on
@BBCBreakfast
, explaining the impact of caring and how
#employers
can help
New
#Census2021
data shows 1.5 million people are providing unpaid care for 50+ hours a week in England & Wales, 150,000 more than in 2011.
Without carers, our health & social care system would collapse. Yet carers get little support.
Government must step up. More detail 🧵 👇
Many carers sharing their frustrations that "unpaid carer" is rarely an option when selecting employment status on forms and paperwork. Being forced to select "unemployed" is demoralising and minimises the importance of their caring role.
#carersuk2020
We're dismayed that social care did not get even a mention in today’s
#Budget2020
, after the Govt’s promise to deliver a solution. As it is, families are under huge strain, and will be stepping up beyond what they already do in coming weeks. Our statement:
Carer’s Allowance is going up today to £76.75 per week, in line with inflation.
Despite this minor increase, Carer’s Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind and must be reformed by the government to ensure carers get the financial support they desperately need.
📢 Today we’re launching our State of Caring survey 2023!
It’s vital that unpaid carers’ voices are heard. We’ll use what you tell us to raise awareness of the challenges carers face and campaign for change.
What are your priorities? Tell us now:
We need to make sure the government know the true extent of caring in the UK. If you care for someone, tick question 24 on your census form and help us ensure unpaid carers are officially recognised
#CountCarersIn
In July, we called on Gov’t to raise Carer’s Allowance to address the financial hardship many unpaid carers face
#FairerForCarers
. We're very disappointed to not get a response. Today, we've joined with 74 other orgs to restate our case. Find out more:
The Carer’s Leave Bill has passed in the House of Lords and is on its way to becoming law 🎉
💬
@wendychambLD
explains why the Bill is important and how it will improve the lives of millions of people juggling paid employment and unpaid care
#RightToCarersLeave
👇
Thank you to
@FatFace
who are donating 100% of the profits from their new range of sustainable face coverings to Carers UK. Their support helps us continue to provide vital information, advice and support to carers.
Given the rising costs carers are having to meet during the pandemic, we're deeply disappointed that the Chancellor didn't use his Statement to acknowledge the financial strain on unpaid carers and increase Carer’s Allowance. Read our full statement here:
Following the release of our
#CaringBehindClosedDoors
report, we're calling on the Gov to raise the profile of unpaid
#carers
, raise Carer's Allowance, increase testing & PPE for care workers and unpaid carers, and make care a priority. Join our campaign:
Unpaid carers are at the sharp end of the
#CostOfLiving
crisis.
Our new report reveals the huge impact the crisis is having on carers, pushing them into poverty.
The government must fix this. Here’s how 👇
📢 The Carer’s Leave Bill has passed its Second Reading!
This is a huge step forward in securing a
#RightToCarersLeave
for millions of carers juggling paid employment and unpaid care.
Thank you to
@wendychambLD
for bringing forward this bill and to everyone who’s supported it.
Today
@RishiSunak
completely failed to address social care reform at
#Budget2021
. Until there's long-term investment in social care and increased support for carers, life will only get harder for families. See our Press Release in full.
Today we're launching the State of Caring 2019 Survey! It's the most comprehensive research into the lives of
#carers
in the UK and helps us to push
#caring
up the agenda for policy makers. Please fill it in if you're a carer and share with your networks
Carer’s Allowance is just £67.25/week. Its ineffective in preventing financial hardship. Today we alongside 74 other orgs again call on
@theresecoffey
and
@rishisunak
to raise the level of Carer’s Allowance so it's
#FairerForCarers
. Read our letter here:
Thank you
@EdwardJDavey
for raising our latest report on carers and the cost of living crisis at
#PMQs
, and the urgent need to raise Carers Allowance – it is essential that carers receive more support so they can manage the rising costs of living
📢 The Carer’s Leave Bill has passed Committee Stage!
This is a huge step forward in securing a
#RightToCarersLeave
for millions of carers juggling paid employment and unpaid care.
Thank you to all the MPs on the Committee who supported the Bill today.
It’s so disappointing the government has today rolled back on its funding commitment to the care workforce. This decision to not invest the full £500m and tackle the care crisis properly will continue to pile immense pressure on unpaid carers. Many are already at breaking point.
Our new report with
@CentreForCare
reveals unpaid carers contribute £162bn a year to the economy in England & Wales. The value of care being provided is equivalent to a second NHS.
And yet there’s a huge lack of support for carers in the UK, who clearly contribute so much.
"Carers are vital in this fight against coronavirus so we need to protect them." Our CEO
@Helen_M_Walker
spoke frankly to
@BBCNews
about the concerns unpaid carers are raising with us around coronavirus and called for Carers Allowance to be raised
Carer’s Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind – just £69.70 a week.
Many carers on Carer’s Allowance are forced to cut back on food & essentials to cope with rising costs.
In the
#SpringStatement
,
@Jeremy_Hunt
must commit to a full review & reform of Carer’s Allowance.
Carer’s Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind at just £67.25 a week. Today, we’ve been joined by 91 organisations in calling on
@theresecoffey
and
@rishisunak
to raise the level of Carer’s Allowance so it's
#FairerForCarers
. Find out more:
The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 is now law!
Securing these new rights for working carers was the result of many years of campaigning and has opened up more possibilities for carers who are employed to stay in, or return to, work.
To find out more:
We'll be watching
#Care
on
@BBCOne
this Sunday at 9pm - hope it will spark a national conversation about the challenges unpaid
#carers
face and need for better support. To find out about the practical and financial support available with caring, come to
What do you do when you can't look after the woman who's always looked after you?
@Sheridansmith1
stars in
#Care
, a moving drama about one woman’s determined battle to get the best care for her mother, alongside Alison Steadman &
@SineadKeenan
.
📨 We’ve written to Prime Minister
@RishiSunak
with six other
#CarersWeek
supporter charities to call on him to act for unpaid carers now.
Carers have been taken for granted for too long. It’s essential there is greater support and recognition for carers from the government.
We know this is a very concerning time for unpaid carers, with many worried about how
#coronavirus
will affect their caring role. We’ve put together guidance for carers, including being prepared and information for working carers, which you can read at
Carer’s Allowance is just £69.70 a week. It isn’t enough to cover the high caring-related costs many carers face, who need to keep their homes warm & vital equipment running.
The
#CarerPovertyCoalition
is calling for a review of Carer’s Allowance as part of the
#SpringStatement
.
On
#carersrightsday
we've published new polling showing the public hugely underestimate the number of
#carers
among their own friends and families. Read the news story at
We are excited to share that the Carer’s Leave Act should come into force on 6 April 2024!
Employers and carers should be aware of additional details published in the draft regulations which lay out the terms of the Act.
Find out more:
Our Director Madeleine spoke to
@SkyNews
this morning about our
#CarersRightsDay
research showing two thirds of adults will likely become
#carers
and the urgent need for sustainable investment in our
#socialcare
system
📢 The Carer’s Leave Bill has passed its Second Reading in the House of Lords!
This is another important step in our campaign to secure a
#RightToCarersLeave
for millions of carers juggling paid employment & unpaid care.
The State of Caring survey 2022 is now live!
State of Caring is the most comprehensive research into the lives and experiences of carers in the UK. It shapes our campaigns and the support and services we provide.
Take part and share your views today:
Our
#StateOfCaring
report reveals the crisis carers are in.
Released today, it’s based on our biggest ever survey of unpaid carers, who've told us they’re worried, tired and struggling financially, with little support available.
That can’t go on. The government must act 🧵👇
The social care system is broken. The government must urgently produce a plan for tackling this crisis.
Our Director of Policy Emily Holzhausen was on
@BBCNews
today highlighting how unpaid carers are struggling to access social care and get the breaks they need.
On
#InternationalWomensDay2021
, we're recognising the huge contribution of female carers. 70% of women will care at some point in their adult life. Today we recognise and celebrate every woman who looks after someone.
No carer should have to compromise their health and wellbeing to provide essential care. The government must urgently provide a properly funded care system which supports disabled people and allows carers a break.
📢 Good news for carers balancing employment and care. The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 has now received Royal Assent, and will soon give two million unpaid carers the right to request flexible working from day one. Read our response:
Supporting
@LGANews
story today on the shortage of carers breaks putting pressure on carers’ health and well-being. We’re joining local government leaders’ call for more funding for carers’ support from Government
#StateofCaring
“I gave up my job to become a full time
#carer
for my 92 year old Dad. It has been a real struggle for us both financially. I’m just trying to survive on the minuscule Carer's Allowance” - Terry explains why government must act to make it
#FairerforCarers
We understand that the breaking news re the
#coronavirus
restrictions on movement will be concerning many
#unpaidcarers
, and we will continue to monitor the situation and update our website, daily, with the latest information and support. Please visit:
📢 We’re launching the
#CarerPovertyCoalition
today.
It’s simply unacceptable that nearly half of adults providing 35+ hours of unpaid care are living in poverty.
Together with 92 other organisations, we will campaign to end carer poverty.
Read more:
It’s clear that there’s real momentum behind change for Carer’s Allowance and to tackle overpayments in particular. We want to see the Secretary of State promise quick action, more investment and positive reform for Carer’s Allowance
@MelJStride
“We cannot duck this issue as a society any longer. Not only is this a basic right but the health impacts for carers are significant. It’s a false economy in the long term not to invest in breaks”
@HolzhausenEmily
on the importance of carers breaks