Value of carers’ services put at £814m per year

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has found that an investment of less than £5 million in services provided by five Carers’ Centres resulted in at least £73 million worth of social gains in a year. The Trust has published its findings in a new report titled “Carers’ Centres: What impact do they have.”

The report written by Baker Tilly is a social return on investment analysis that evaluates the impact of the support given by five Carers’ Centres over a number of years. Looking across the whole network of 144 Carers’ Centres supported by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, the independent analysis estimated the gain based on total funding of £57m to be in the region of £814m per year.

This gain in value arises from carers maintaining better physical and mental health by reducing stress and depression. In addition to this the person who is cared for is able to continue living at home while some carers’ may be able to continue working. The services targeting young carers play a crucial role in assisting young carers to continue education, find employment or receive training.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers Director of Operations, Jane Burt, said: ‘These services result in a real return to society, helping carers to continue to care confidently and safely. Carers provide support that is valued at £119bn a year. And services that help carers to continue caring are vital to society’s ability to look after its increasing elderly and disabled population.’

One carer, John, explained what a lifeline the local Carers’ Centre had been for him: ‘Since making contact with my Carers’ Centre, my life and my ability to provide the care needed by my wife has improved significantly. I have attended various modules of the Caring with Confidence Courses, these have all enabled me to learn how to manage myself better and thereby improve my health and my ability to support Linda.

‘Through my Carers’ Centre I have been given a one year subscription to a gym, where I am able to improve my overall fitness and health. It also gives me some time to myself, which helps reduce the stress and strain of caring. Without my Carers Centre I seriously doubt if I would still be caring for my wife.’