Unpaid carers suffering ‘perfect storm’ of social care cuts
More than half of all people caring for older or disabled loved ones have reached “breaking point” because of a lack of support from health services, a survey has suggested.
Carers UK said cuts to social care and carers’ benefits as well as the rising cost of living has left 60% of carers feeling unable to cope with the role.
One quarter of those needed medical treatment as a result, while 63% said they had suffered depression and 79% reported anxiety, according to the charity’s poll of 5,000 carers.
Across the UK there are 6.5 million people caring for a loved one who is older, seriously ill or disabled and they are estimated to save the economy £119 billion per year in unpaid care.
The charity warned that a greater number of carers will face crisis and urged political parties to put forward clear policy on how to address the gap in health services for carers.
Steve McIntosh, the charity’s policy manager, said: “Carers are in the midst of a perfect storm because of cuts to social care, cuts to benefits and the rising cost of living.
“Funding for social care services has fallen off the cliff really, carers have been struggling for years but now feel pushed to their limit.
“There is a rising need for care services, especially with more people worried about how they will cope with older parents in the future, so it’s becoming a much bigger political issue and very much at the front of families’ minds.
“Much like child care was, support for carers is going to be seen as one of the major policy challenges for all parties.
“It’s a real challenge for the NHS to become more “care aware” but they must recognise that if carers reach breaking point it brings a much greater cost to the economy in the long term.”
The report, called Carers at Breaking Point, also found that one fifth of carers have never been offered any kind of support, including help from professional carers or respite.
The charity said local care services in England have seen cuts of £3.5 billion while benefits for carers’ have dropped by £1million.
Mr McIntosh added that more also needs to be done to support carers to stay in work, with many forced to suddenly give up their job to care for a loved one.
“Many of these people who are forced to give up work or cut their hours at short notice are middle aged and highly skilled which comes at a cost to businesses,” he said.
“Our message to politicians is it’s costing businesses economically and families financially and personally.
“Supporting people who care must be part of our economic infrastructure.”
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