Workers’ leave bill ‘is just the start’

A LAW which would give more than 2 million working carers access to a week’s leave has moved a step closer

ANEW coalition of 94 organisations has come together to tackle the financial hardship of millions of unpaid carers across the UK.

The Carer Poverty Coalition, a mix of charities and local organisations, aims to build awareness of carer poverty and the impact of the cost of living crisis on unpaid carers, and improve the limited financial support available to them

The coalition will also look at what carers need to support them to continue with paid work, alongside their caring role, for as long as possible

The group is being led by Carers UK, the national charity supporting and representing those with an unpaid caring responsibility for someone who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, drug or alcohol issue or who needs extra help as they grow older

Carers UK research released last autumn revealed that one in four carers (25%) were cutting back on food or heating to make ends meet during the cost-of-living crisis, rising to 35% of those receiving Carer ’s Allowance – the main benefit of £69 70 a week for those caring 35 hours or more each week

A significant number of carers were also using food banks – 8% of those in receipt of Carer ’s Allowance Data suggests that close to one million people in England are claiming Carer ’s Allowance, with new data today showing 20,000 additional people claimed the benefit between May 2022 and August 2022

The coalition is campaigning to see a benefits system that better supports people providing high amounts of unpaid care, along with changes to help carers stay in paid work for longer while caring

Abby Jitendra, principal policy adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: “The act of caring is hugely valuable to us as a society but this isn’t reflected by our social security system ”

Chris James, director of external affairs at the Motor Neurone Disease Association, said: “Carers need improved financial support and more opportunities to remain in work ”