Sir Keir Starmer must deliver urgent change for unpaid carers and a creaking social care system

Reacting to the General Election result, Carers Trust’s Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Dominic Carter, said:

“Sir Keir Starmer’s campaign focused on change and, for the UK’s seven million unpaid carers, change can’t come soon enough."

"There are 1.5 million people caring for more than 50 hours a week and more than a quarter of carers have been forced into poverty."

"Meanwhile, one million children, some as young as five, are also having to look after family members. They’re paying a heavy price for a social care system which has fallen into crisis through lack of investment and long-term planning by successive governments."

"The Prime Minister and his team have to make this a priority."

“An overhaul of the grossly unfair Carer’s Allowance system would be a vital first step for the Starmer government. The benefit is the lowest of its kind and only those caring for more than 35 hours a week and earning less than £151 a week are able to claim it."

"That means it’s almost impossible for someone to combine work and caring if they claim Carer’s Allowance. If Labour is serious about growth, this broken system urgently needs to change and carers must be helped back into work."

“We welcome Labour’s long-term vision for a National Care Service and their big majority gives them the opportunity to be brave and ambitious with those plans."

"In the meantime, a carers strategy is urgently needed, helping to build a path to a National Care Service that works for carers and those they support."

"At Carers Trust, we and our network of local care organisations look forward to working with the new government to make sure this happens.”