Carers Trust responds to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement and what it means for unpaid family carers
Responding to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement and what it means for the UK’s unpaid family carers, Carers Trust’s CEO Kirsty McHugh said:
“Carers Trust welcomes the uplift of benefits in line with inflation. But this will do little to help unpaid family carers, millions of whom were already experiencing poverty due to their caring role before the cost-of-living crisis after giving up work to care for relatives. They urgently need additional support which is why the need to raise Carer’s Allowance beyond inflation, and extend eligibility for it, has never been more important.
“Despite repeated Government promises to fix social care, we remain deeply concerned that the investment and extra care packages announced won’t go far enough. There’s also a real danger that the Government is passing the buck on to councils to raise extra tax for social care, creating a postcode lottery where ability to access social care services varies wildly. Instead, the Government should be developing a comprehensive national strategy for sustainable funding of social care services. Carers Trust and its network of over 120 local carer organisations stand ready to support the Government to ensure unpaid carers and the local organisations supporting them are at the heart of such a solution.”
For further information, please contact:
Matt Whitticase, mwhitticase@carers.org and 07824 539481
Mark Chandler, mchandler@carers.org and 07712 427808
About Carers Trust
Carers Trust is the UK charity working to transform the lives of unpaid carers across the UK. It partners with its network of local carer organisations to provide funding and support, deliver innovative and evidence-based programmes and raise awareness & influence policy. Carers Trust’s vision is that unpaid carers are heard and valued, with access to support, advice and resources to enable them to live fulfilled lives.