There are 6.4m unpaid carers in the UK, saving the Government £119m per year. The caring role takes a toll on the finances, health, career, family and social life of those who look after an ill, frail or disabled relative, friend or partner.
Carers Week is all about celebrating the work these carers do whilst reaching out to hidden carers who are carrying out caring duties without care and support.
in sickness and in health
This year’s campaign, In Sickness and In Health aims to highlight:
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that the health and well being of carers is paramount
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that cuts to local services has a knock on effect on the health and wellbeing of unpaid carers
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that recognition by professional and by others who interact with carers’ day-to-day lives can help make a massive difference
Carers give so much to society yet as a consequence of caring, they experience ill health, poverty and discrimination.
caring in numbers
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10 per cent of the total population are carers which is nearly six million people in the UK.
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there are 1.9 million people caring for more than 20 hours per week and 1.25 million care for more than 50 hours per week.
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women are more likely to be carers than men. There are 3.4 million female carers (58 per cent of carers) and nearly 2.5 million male carers (42 per cent).
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most carers (5.7 million) are aged over 18 and the peak age for caring is 50 to 59.
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more than one in five people aged 50-59 (1.5 million across the UK) are providing some unpaid care.
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there are 174,995 young people under the age of 18 who provide care, 13,029 of these provide care for 50 hours or more per week.
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there are three million people combine work with caring responsibilities for a disabled, ill or frail relative or friend. This is roughly one in eight workers in the UK.
All these figures are from the 2001 Census.
To mark the start of this year’s Carers Week a survey has been carried out to measure the impact of caring on carers health and well being. The findings will be launched on 18 June 2012.
Carers Week is a partnership of 8 different national charities who come together to fund and organise the largest national awareness week in the UK
You can get more information on caring and get involved in Carers Week 2012 here.
