Carers Trust responds to the Budget

Responding to the Budget, Carers Trust’s CEO, Kirsty McHugh, said:

“This Budget is yet another slap in the face for the UK’s seven million unpaid carers. Many have been forced to give up paid work to care for relatives and carers across the country are at breaking point, all because of the continued failure to fix our broken social care system. So it’s hugely disappointing that, in this Government’s last Budget, there is still no sign of a long-term strategy and the Chancellor announced nothing to tackle that social care crisis.

“Unpaid carers will now also have to pick up the bill for the Chancellor’s tax cuts. To pay for them, we’ll see public services squeezed even further and local carer organisations struggle to meet demand, ramping up the pressure on many struggling families. Carers Trust called for the Household Support Fund to be renewed so we welcome its six-month extension and we’re ready to work with the Government for a longer term solution. However, we know without fundamental reform to Carer's Allowance and better support to help them stay in work, unpaid carers will continue to be pushed into poverty.”