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Unpaid carers save UK state £530 million every day of the pandemic

Released for Carers Rights Day 2020, the report Unseen and Undervalued’ from Carers UK highlights the immense value of unpaid carers.  

Projections based on YouGov polling indicate that unpaid carers across the UK have provided an incredible £135 billion of care since the start of the pandemic in March.  That’s £530 million of care every day! For a full year, at these rates, Carers UK estimates the value of carers’ unpaid support to be equivalent to £193 billion of care a year.

Carers UK are campaigning for the Government to recognise the contribution of millions of carers and also protect their health and wellbeing; by providing additional support for carers over this winter and ensure that those caring for more than 50 hours a week get access to a funded break.  It is also calling on the Government to increase the income of carers entitled to Carer’s Allowance by £20 a week, to match the increase made months ago to Universal Credit. This would help carers providing 35 hours or more of unpaid care each week to manage both the higher costs of caring in the winter, and the lack of services available to help them stay in work.