Planning Ahead for Christmas: The Silent Struggle of Scotland’s Unpaid Carers

(Pictured above Paul and Celia)

For Celia, Christmas isn’t about sparkle, it’s about survival.

For those who provide round the clock care to loved ones, the festive season
requires military level organisation around medication schedules, hospital
appointments and the unpredictable demands of caring.

Carers Trust Scotland have heard from many unpaid carers that they started their
festive season shopping and planning many months ago. This kind of early planning
is common for many of Scotland’s 800,000 unpaid carers, who often have very little
free time and disposable income. These individuals provide care worth £15.9 billion
annually, yet their efforts often go unseen.

“I started buying gifts last Christmas,” says Celia, who cares for her son Paul. “I can’t
just pop out when I want, so I plan ahead. When I see offers, I buy doubles and store
them away. By December, I’m juggling food, drink and all the little extras that add up,
it’s like paying double bills at this time of year.”

But festive cheer comes with added challenges. Rising energy costs have hit unpaid
carers hard:

“Paul can’t regulate his body temperature, so the heating used to be on all the time,”
Celia explains. “Now, with prices soaring, I’ve had to put it on a timer. This morning,
Paul came up and said, ‘Mum, my hands are cold.’ When I do put the heating on, he
thanks me like I’ve given him an extra present. That’s heartbreaking.”

Research from Carers Trust Scotland highlights the pressures carers face, even
during the holidays:

• 41% of unpaid carers on Carer Support Payment are struggling financially.
• 28% of unpaid carers living in a home with just one adult carer are in fuel
  poverty.
• Almost half (49%) of unpaid carers on Universal Credit and living alone are
  fuel poor.
• 74% worry about affording energy bills and 12% have used a food bank.
• Only 30% say Carer Support Payment makes a meaningful difference.

Celia’s story reflects these realities. She’s not only managing the festive season on a
tight budget but also fighting to restore her son’s care package after it was stopped
without warning:

“Paul has a rare brain disease. He could die at any time. I’ve had to remortgage my
house, and I’m thousands of pounds in debt just to keep his life as it was. If his
routine changes, his anxiety could trigger another collapse.”

Despite these struggles, Celia remains determined to make the festive season
special:

“Paul is an absolute joy. Every day he brings light and life to our home. He even
makes his own Christmas cards, after six years of therapy just to hold a pencil.”

Carers Trust Scotland works with a network of local carer organisations to provide
support, funding and advice to unpaid carers across the country. Reaching around
66,000 adult and young carers, the charity aims to ensure unpaid carers are
recognised and have access to the resources they need to live fulfilled lives.

“Three out of five of us will become carers at some point in our lives,” says Becky
Duff, Carers Trust Scotland Director. “This Christmas, we want people to understand
the reality of caring and to celebrate the resilience and love that unpaid carers bring
to their families every day.”

As Scotland approaches a new chapter in 2026, there’s an opportunity to ensure
unpaid carers are better supported and recognised. Carers Trust Scotland will
continue working closely with government and partners to shape policies that reflect
the realities of caring.

A Little Help Goes a Long Way

Since April 2025, our small grants programme has provided nearly £130,000 in direct support to carers, funding essentials like heated blankets, tablets to reduce isolation, and respite breaks.

Every gift counts: £30 could keep a carer warm this winter, £100 could help an isolated carer stay connected.

Learn more about our work and how you can support unpaid carers at: Fundraising for Carers in Scotland.