Add your name to their open letter to the Chancellor, calling for more support for unpaid carers to help them care safely during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the lives of carers and those they are caring for. A majority have had to provide extraordinary hours of care for loved ones with increasing needs during the crisis, often without the usual help from family and friends, and with limited or no support from local services.
It has left them exhausted and close to breaking point, that is why Carers UK are calling on the Government to provide more support to unpaid carers to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic.
To mark Carers Rights Day 2020, they have released new research which found that unpaid carers have provided £135 billion worth of care in the first 8 months of the COVID-19 pandemic– that means, each day during the pandemic, unpaid carers are saving the UK state a staggering £530 million in the care they provide.
Previous research shows that the two thirds of carers have not been able to take any breaks at all during the COVID-19 pandemic and this is impacting on carers physical and mental health, over half have seen their physical health impacted by caring through the pandemic, while 64% said their mental health has worsened. The majority (67%) are worried about how they will continue to care safely through the coming winter.
As a result, Carers UK are calling on Government to urgently provide unpaid carers with additional support and to give back to them by prioritising their health, well-being, and resilience through the COVID-19 pandemic.
