Increase in social care costs sees dramatic rise in hours worked by unpaid carers

By The Press Association12th November 2015News EnglandBusiness / Funding / Finance, Carers, Finance, Kinship Care, News England, Social Care

Unpaid carers are saving the taxpayer £132 billion a year thanks partly to a “dramatic rise” in the hours they work, a new report claims.

A rise in the cost of professional replacement carers is also behind the annual figure, which is almost the same as is currently spent on public healthcare in the UK, according to research from charity Carers UK and the University of Sheffield.

Their report found that the value that the 6.8 million volunteer carers who look after the disabled, seriously ill or elderly add to the nation’s economy annually has doubled in the last 14 years, from £68 billion in 2001.

Carers UK called for better financial support for carers and an increased investment in social care services ahead of the Chancellor’s spending review, announced with the Autumn Statement on November 25.

The charity’s chief executive Helena Herklots said: “If even a small percentage of people were unable to continue caring, the economic impact would be catastrophic. Worryingly, we are edging towards this possibility, as the pressure on families to provide more care with less support is intensifying.”

The report found that the number of unpaid carers has risen 16.5% since 2001.

In the same period the amount providing 20 to 49 hours of care a week has increased by 43% and those providing 50 hours or more of care a week has increased by a third (33%).

It found there are now 431,000 more people aged over 85 and 1.6 million more people living with a long-term illness than in 2001.

Carers UK called for the spending review to “address the chronic underfunding of the social care system” and include measures like more financial support for carers, promoting a carer-friendly NHS and introduce a right to paid care leave.

Ms Herklots said: “This must be a wake-up call for national and local government ahead of the Treasury’s spending review.

“The Government has helped to establish new rights for carers and has also committed to publishing a new carers strategy by the end of next year. But this will be undermined if the spending review does not recognise the vital contribution carers make, and can continue to make, to society by improving financial support for carers and investing in vital social care services.”

Report co-author Sue Yeandle, professor of sociology at the University of Sheffield and director of the Centre for International Research on Care, Labour and Equalities (CIRCLE), added: “There are more people caring for a loved one, and more people needing care, than ever before.

“This increase has occurred in the context of large reductions to home care services in recent years, raising serious concerns about whether the services families need to help them care well and have a life alongside caring will be there in the future.

“Carers are doing more than ever to support others; we must ensure that they get the support and recognition they need and deserve.”