unpaid carers – Page 2 – The NEN

Carers Trust Scotland research reveals family carers experiencing unprecedented financial hardship

“All general bills are a worry. It’s crushing to not even be able to afford the most basics in life due to being an unpaid carer.” (unpaid carer responding to the Carers Trust survey)

Almost three quarters (74%) of unpaid carers in Scotland are worried about being able to afford energy bills.
Almost two thirds (58%) of unpaid carers in Scotland have either had to give up work altogether or reduce their paid hours because of their caring role.
One in eight (12%) unpaid carers in Scotland have had to use a food bank.
Carers Trust is urging the Scottish Government and the UK Government to provide additional cost-of-living support to unpaid carers now and to develop long-term solution for funding of social care.

A new survey of unpaid carers in Scotland provides a stark assessment of how many of Scotland’s 800,000 unpaid family carers have been plunged even further into financial misery by the cost-of-living crisis.

The research, undertaken by Carers Trust, the UK infrastructure charity for local carer organisations, revealed that 38% of all unpaid carers have had to give up paid work altogether to provide the dedicated care at home that a sick or disabled relative needs. A further 20% of respondents reported having reduced the number of paid hours they work because of their caring role.

The research, which was responded to by 531 family carers, uncovered the shocking fact that one in eight (12%) unpaid family carers are now using food banks as a result of soaring living costs. In addition:

28% have had to cut back on food
7% have either sold their home or released home equity to pay for essential items
17% have not been able to pay household bills on time
38% have had to cut back on other household items
27% have had to use a credit card to pay for essential household items.
25% have had to borrow money from a friend or a relative
17% have had to take out a loan

One survey respondent said: “I am terrified that I won’t be able to pay the bills this winter”.

Responding to a survey question about what essential costs they would no longer be able to afford, almost half (48%) said transport, almost three quarters (74%) said energy bills and over one third (34%) said rent or mortgage costs.

Carer’s Allowance failing to prevent poverty among unpaid carers

The survey also starkly highlighted the inadequacy of Carer’s Allowance, the principal state benefit for unpaid carers.

Currently set at £69.70 per week, providing this is the lowest level benefit of its kind, despite more than one third (34%) of unpaid carers spending 50 hours or more a week caring for a sick or disabled relative.

The Scottish Government does provide a Carer’s Allowance Supplement of £245.70 twice per year to provide additional support to unpaid carers in Scotland.

However, eligibility criteria for Carer’s Allowance benefit are strict: claimants must earn £132 a week or less after tax and must be spending a minimum of 35 hours a week caring for someone.

Over half of all survey respondents said that they do not receive the allowance and, of those who did, 56% of respondents in Scotland said it was not enough to meet their needs as an unpaid carer.

The survey also found that, instead of preventing poverty among recipients, Carer’s Allowance recipients were more likely to be experiencing financial hardship.

58% of respondents receiving Carer’s Allowance said they were struggling to make ends meet, compared to 38% of respondents who don’t receive Carer’s Allowance.

More support needed for local carer organisations supporting unpaid carers

A parallel survey of Carer’s Trust’s UK network of over 120 local carer organisations, who provide services to unpaid carers, has also highlighted the impact of recruitment challenges and funding shortages on their ability to support unpaid family carers.

48% of services cited fundraising and sustainability as the principal challenge to work supporting unpaid carers, whilst 40% of respondents cited staff recruitment and retention as a challenge – almost twice the level (23%) reported the year before.

Carers Trust Scotland’s Director Louise Morgan said: “Scotland’s health and social care system relies on the hard work of millions of unpaid family carers. However, the double whammy of lack of financial support and struggling local services means that thousands of unpaid family carers are being pushed into dire poverty.

‘With little ability to work, unpaid carers simply cannot boost their earnings to meet the cost-of-living crisis. Yet they need to keep the heating on and equipment running to keep their sick and disabled relatives warm and safe.

“The recent Autumn Statement simply did not recognise the extra cost of being an unpaid carer. We therefore need to raise Carer’s Allowance urgently, provide and to add it to the list of benefits qualifying for the additional £900 cost-of-living support payment and provide double payments of Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments to help unpaid carers to pay their rising bills during the cost-of-living crisis.

“As a country we’re relying on unpaid carers to keep the health and care system afloat. The least we can do in return is ensure they get a fair deal in return”.

Find out about how your Giving Tuesday donations can help support #UnpaidCarers https://bit.ly/3zEj3aE

Carers Week 2022: Rising pressures on unpaid carers as public backing for greater support grows

4.68 million unpaid carers concerned for physical and mental health
2.2 million carers worried about ability to cope financially
More care is being provided than ever before – even more than during the height of the pandemic
Overwhelming public support for more Government action to help unpaid carers

Carers Week charities are calling for an urgent 12-month plan of targeted support for unpaid carers, as many struggle with the ongoing impact, as well as the legacy, of the pandemic, together with the strain of the social care and cost of living crises.

For the first time, the impact of caring on their own physical and mental health has topped carer’s concerns, closely followed by money worries.

The research, released for Carers Week 2022 (6-12 June), reveals that 84% of the general public think that the UK governments should provide additional support to unpaid carers including increased financial support and investment in care and support services so that unpaid carers can have a break. Only 3% disagreed.

The report also shows that the number of unpaid carers remains higher than before the pandemic with one in five of the UK’s adults (approximately 10.58 million people) now supporting a relative, close friend or neighbour because of chronic illness, including mental ill-health, dementia, disability, or older age.

The intensity of care they are providing has grown since earlier in the pandemic, with several factors possibly having an impact: Many services remain reduced or closed, vulnerable people continue to shield, pressures on primary health care and the chronic shortage of social care. The numbers of people providing over 50 hours per week has risen by 30%.

At the same time, carers with lower household incomes were much more likely to be providing significant amounts of care (i.e, over 20 hours per week). Providing more care also reduces the chance to cope financially as carers are less likely to be able to juggle work and care.

The seven charities supporting Carers Week 2022; Carers UK, Age UK, Carers Trust, MND Association, Rethink Mental Illness, Oxfam GB and The Lewy Body Society are calling for a recovery and respite plan dedicated to the needs of carers including: specific investment in their mental health support, carers leave a priority, help with food and energy costs and ahead of the winter, prioritisation in the vaccination programme.

Commenting on behalf of Carers Week charities, Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said: “Clearly, whilst society has opened up for many people, it’s a very different picture for significant numbers of carers.

“So many have sacrificed their physical and mental health caring for their loved ones over the last two years and as this report clearly shows, it is absolutely essential that carers get the support they need to stay well to be able to continue to care for their loved ones, that working carers are helped to stay in employment and that all carers can feel visible, valued and supported.”

Marking #CarersWeek, Social Security Minister @BenMacpherson recognises the dedication of carers.

@scotgov has introduced 2 new and unique benefits, Young Carer Grant and Carer’s Allowance Supplement – additional support of over £42 million to more than 90,000 carers this year.

Time to Live grant scheme: Shared Care Scotland report published

Shared Care Scotland is the national carer organisation focused on improving short breaks for all of Scotland’s unpaid carers.

Research is an essential part of this work: it helps ensure that short breaks policy and provision is better informed by the experience of carers and cared-for people and that those responsible for the commissioning and delivery of short breaks have access to the current best evidence on ‘what works’.

Shared Care Scotland recently worked with Iriss to hear directly from carers about the impact that the Short Breaks Fund ‘Time to Live’ grant scheme had on their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The final report and a collection of carer stories has been published this week in Rethinking Personalised Short Breaks for Unpaid carers during COVID-19.

The report shows that taking a person-centred approach – supporting carers to have choice and control in short breaks – brings sustainable benefits and can improve their financial, physical and mental wellbeing as well as providing similar benefits to those they care for.

What also emerges from the report is that it is not just the break itself that can lead to positive outcomes, but the process of accessing support can also achieve additional benefits. This includes reducing isolation, helping carers feel valued, and providing that essential preventative support that can help to sustain the caring role.

It is hoped that the report provides important evidence to help reinforce good practice. Above all, it is to show that supporting carers to embed pockets of respite throughout their days can be fundamental in helping them have ‘Time to Live’.

You can read the report here.

time-to-live-full-reportupdated Download

More help for unpaid carers

Funding for wellbeing support and services

A £4million funding package will help provide support to unpaid carers, in recognition of the enormous role they play in looking after loved ones, and the added pressure many have faced during the pandemic.

Over the next few weeks, the additional winter funding will allow organisations working with unpaid carers to expand the services they provide to all groups of adult and young carers, including those looking after disabled children and young people and those caring for a friend or relative with dementia.

To help reach as wide a range of carers as possible, the funds will be shared between organisations who are already working with different groups of carers:

£3million for local carer centres across Scotland to expand their vital support for adult and young carers
£200,000 to expand the Young Carers Package delivered by Young Scot to provide additional break opportunities, support and activities for young carers
£377,000 to expand Family Fund support with breaks for parents and families looking after disabled children and young people
£590,000 to expand wellbeing support and services for unpaid carers looking after a family member with Dementia, including grants for short breaks

Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care Kevin Stewart said: “Unpaid carers play a vital role in society and I know the pandemic has placed many additional pressures on Scotland’s carers.

“The Scottish Government has always been committed to improving carers’ rights and providing them with the support and extra help they deserve.

“The local services and third sector organisations that have been supporting carers during the pandemic have been exceptional. I am pleased to be able to announce this additional funding to allow them to continue their essential work.

“This support for carers comes on top of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement, the first payment made by Social Security Scotland, which increased Carer’s Allowance for eligible Scottish carers by around 13% compared to carers in the rest of the UK.

“In addition to this uplift to Carer’s Allowance, we made extra Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments in June 2020 and in December 2021 to support eligible carers.”

Unpaid carers to receive double additional payment

Tens of thousands of unpaid carers will receive a double payment of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement this winter under legislation passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament last night.

Recognising the additional pressures unpaid carers face as a result of the pandemic, the December payment of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be doubled to £462.80, benefitting more than 91,000 people.

This extra investment, forecast to be £21 million, will be the second time the Scottish Government has doubled a Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment.

The Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill will also give Ministers powers to provide eligible carers with additional financial support in future if the need arises.

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “We introduced the Carer’s Allowance Supplement in September 2018 to address the fact that Carer’s Allowance was the lowest of all working age benefits. The £230 payment is in addition to the Carers Allowance in recognition of the role carers play in society.

“In recognition of the additional pressures caused by the pandemic, tens of thousands of unpaid carers will now receive another additional payment of more than £230 through our Carer’s Allowance Supplement this winter. This additional payment means that this year carers in Scotland will get £694.20 more in support than carers in the rest of the UK.

“We also made a double payment last year, so over the past two years we have invested over £120 million from our own budget to support around 91,000 unpaid carers. The Carer’s Allowance Supplement is unique in the UK and is one of seven new benefits we have introduced.

“The Scottish Government will always consider if additional payments are needed in the future, bearing in mind the broad range of support we provide across society and taking account of our limited tax and borrowing powers.

Sebastian Fischer, Chief Executive of VOCAL, which supports and empowers unpaid carers in Edinburgh said: “As we emerge from the pandemic, the Coronavirus Carers’ Allowance Supplement is a welcome measure and we are delighted that the Bill has passed. This will support carers who have faced, and continue to face, enormous challenges due to Covid-19.

“Unpaid carers have propped up the health and social care sector, and it is vital that they are recognised in ways that deliver real positive impact. We look forward to seeing further measures from our new government which value the role of carers as equal partners.”

Launch of new vaccination service for unpaid carers from Monday

Unpaid carers who have not already been identified through social security data or GP systems will be able to register themselves for a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination appointment from next week.

The new online service, which opens on Monday 15 March, is for unpaid carers aged between 16 and 64 who provide face-to-face care for a family member or friend.

Carers who receive relevant benefits (Carer’s Allowance, Young Carer Grant or Child Winter Heating Payment) will be in our system and will receive a letter with details of their appointment. But all unpaid carers are being encouraged to self-register – when they do, they will be advised if they are already scheduled for an appointment so there is no duplication.

A Scottish Government marketing campaign will be launched next week to encourage all unpaid carers who are eligible for a vaccine to get one. The campaign will be supported by additional communications from local carer services and other third–sector organisations to carers on their mailing lists.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The support provided by unpaid carers is hugely valuable. I know they are under greater pressure than usual as a result of the pandemic, and we owe them our sincere thanks for the important work they do.

“Our vaccination programme follows the priority list set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) with unpaid carers included within Group 6.

“We have already written to many unpaid carers identified through Social Security data and GPs and we are launching a system which will ensure every carer who is eligible for an appointment can register for one.

“It is crucial that all unpaid carers are offered a vaccination so they are protected whilst they care for others.

“We will be launching an extensive marketing campaign to make sure all unpaid carers know about this opportunity and understand how to book an appointment. All those who have access to the internet are encouraged to use the online service but those who don’t can, of course, call the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013.

“We continue to urge all those eligible to take up the offer of a vaccination. The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow. All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together.”

On behalf of the National Carer Organisations, Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project (MECOPP) Chief Executive Margaret Chiwanza said: “Over the last year, carers have continued to provide support to family and friends in unprecedented circumstances.

“Their inclusion as a priority group for the vaccination recognises the overwhelming contribution they have made and continue to make.

“Many of Scotland’s carers will be in touch with a local carer centre but there will be many others who are not in contact with support services. It is essential that we reach out to these carers. The self-registration system will provide a single point of contact making it simpler for carers to make an appointment and receive a vaccination.

“It is vital that all of Scotland’s carers – young carers aged 16–plus, adult and older carers and those from Minority Ethnic backgrounds – are supported to protect and maintain their own health and well-being and that of the people they care for.

“We commend government for taking this very positive step.”

The new service is open to anyone aged 16 to 64 who provides face-to-face care – unpaid – for a family member or friend who is affected by a disability, physical or mental ill-health, developmental condition or substance misuse.

Self-registration online service nhsinform.scot/carersregister – will be open to unpaid carers from Monday (15 March).

Covid-19 National Vaccination Helpline – 0800 030 8013