Carers Trust survey finds carers at breaking point with very little support

Thanks to the many Surrey carers who fed into Carers Trust’s recent survey on the support from the social care system. 

Carers Trust have published the results which contain some extremely concerning findings:

• Only a tiny fraction (12%) of unpaid carers agree they receive enough support from social care.
• The proportion (64%) of unpaid carers providing 50 hours care or more per week for a family member has almost tripled compared to the share of carers(23%) reporting the same number of hours in the 2011 census.
• 54% of carers have given up, or reduced, paid work because of caring responsibilities.
• One in six (16%) reported that lockdowns and closure of local services has forced them into caring for an additional 40 hours or more per week.

What carers need

With carers exhausted from all the extra hours spent caring and the lack of support they receive, it is unsurprising that the three most common responses given by unpaid carers about what support they need most to continue caring were:

• A break or respite (59%)
• More money to support them as a carer (56%)
• Better support for the person or people they care for (60%)

Using the findings

The responses provide an important evidence base to carry forward  lobbying and campaigning work to improve support for unpaid carers across the UK, including a reformed social care system.