Carers UK is the only national membership charity that supports, connects, and champions unpaid carers. Across the UK today more than 6.5 million people are carers, supporting a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill.
New polling released for Carers Week 2020 found there are an estimated 13.6 million people, 25% of the population who are carers, 4.5 million of whom, shockingly started caring within a matter of weeks of the coronavirus crisis unfolding.
Typically, these new carers will have been supporting loved ones from afar, helping with food shopping, collecting medicine, managing finances and providing reassurance and emotional support during the pandemic. Some will have taken on intense caring roles, helping with tasks such as personal care, moving around the home, administering medication and preparing meals.
We believe unpaid carers are the unsung heroes of society. They are essentially propping up the social care system, saving the economy £132 billion a year. Without carers, our health and social care system simply couldn't survive, whether in a time of crisis or not.
That's why at Carers UK, we:
-Listen, give expert advice, information and support through our website, helpline, and publications.
-Connect carers so no-one has to care alone. Through our carers' groups and volunteers, we're reaching out in local communities throughout the UK and online.
-Champion carers rights, campaigning together for lasting societal change in areas that make a difference to carers.
-Innovate to find new ways to reach and support carers in finding new ways to manage at home, at work, or wherever they are.
With your support through the Give As You Live platform, we can help make life better for carers during this challenging time and long into the future.