Carers at breaking point feel ignored by Government
Pushed to the edge: over 90% of unpaid carers feel ignored by the Government
“I am on my knees. I can’t function exhausted and feel ill all the time.”
Carer’s Trust have released the results of their recent survey into carers’ needs, how carers feel about their support from government, and the impact of caring. It was completed by over 1,550 carers, including many of you in Surrey.
Survey findings
Unpaid carers overwhelmingly feel their needs have been ignored by successive governments. And as well as affecting their physical and mental wellbeing, many are being driven into financial hardship because of caring.
Key findings include:
- 91% of unpaid family carers feel ignored by the Government
- Almost nine out of ten unpaid carers either agree, or agree strongly, that successive governments have ignored the needs of unpaid carers for a long time
- 84% of survey respondents disagreed, or disagreed strongly, with the statement ‘I have confidence in the Government’s ability to improve the lives of unpaid carers
- 49% of survey respondents said they’d had to use their personal savings because of their caring role
- 51% of survey respondents said they’d had to give up on hobbies or personal interests because of their caring role.
“I feel incredibly trapped, isolated and alone. I have severe mental health issues of my own to deal with and virtually no support for myself. I have no friends or family which can help as they don’t live locally and the mental health services and respite services in my area are beyond dire. My husband gets incredible medical support for his condition, yet I’m expected to provide 24-hour care 365 days a year alone.”
Next steps
The findings in full, with analysis of the situation and strong recommendations to Government are in Carers Trust’s new report ‘Pushed to the Edge’. The research and report are getting good coverage in the media, and Carers Trust will be doing everything in its power to influence the Government that it must do more to support unpaid carers – through immediate support like an increase to Carer’s Allowance; and through development of a cross-department national strategy for carers. Read more on the Carers Trust’s website.