Needs of the invisible army not being met

Jun 8 2009 by Kevin Rowan, The Journal

YOU may not have realised, but this week is Carers Week, when the six million people who provide unpaid care to someone they know speak out about their lives, emphasise the impact that caring has on them and seek to highlight the massive, often unseen, contribution they make to our society and economy.

The fact is UK’s carers are contributing the equivalent of £87bn every year by providing unpaid care and support for someone they know who is in need of their support due to illness, frailty or disability. We simply couldn’t manage without them.

The evidence shows that around three in five people will be carers at some point in their lives. Despite this, carers often face a lack of recognition in all areas of their lives. They are an invisible army whose needs are not properly met by the Government, by employers, GPs and social workers, even friends and family.

One of the main impacts from this lack of recognition is that carers suffer more than they should. Carers struggle with their finances, the Carers Allowance at £53.10 is the lowest benefit of its kind, an equivalent of just £1.52 based on a 32 hour week, although carers in fact work much longer hours than that. It is no surprise that many carers also suffer with their health, employment, social life and general wellbeing.

Research carried out by Carers UK shows that three out of four carers are worse off as a result of caring and over half cut back on buying food in order to make ends meet. Half end up in debt as a result of caring with carers overall retiring eight years early, missing out on pensions contributions and facing poverty in retirement too. One third struggle to pay their rent or their mortgage and three quarters struggle with paying utility bills.

Carers are being short changed by an outdated benefits system that doesn’t recognise the massive contribution that they make. Over a million people are caring unpaid for family and friends for more than 50 hours a week. For many this makes it impossible to live a normal life – to get or keep a paid job or just enjoy their retirement. In return, they are expected to manage on the appallingly low carer’s allowance. Benefit rules mean some, especially those over 65, even miss out on this.

The Government has promised a review of carers’ benefits and pledged that by 2018 carers won’t be forced into financial hardship by caring. Carers cannot wait, the reality is many thousands are living in dreadful poverty now and suffering great hardship. Carers’ benefits must be reformed to protect carers from poverty and support carers to enable them to combine caring with work and study.

Kevin Rowan is regional secretary, Northern TUC.