Commentary: 'Care in the UK. 10 Facts Which Shock'
Will you be a Carer? A question or inevitability?
December 3rd, 2023 I wrote an article ‘Spinning plates..’ Initially, I thought I would provide some overview facts about being a Carer in England. I started to prepare the key points you’ll read below. Even now, I find it hard to articulate how jarring they are, especially the Age UK report ‘Why can’t I get care?’ I couldn’t find a good segue, a bridge from these points of reality into recommendations to someone who hasn’t experienced a complicated hospital discharge, or caring for a parent yet.
Writing a letter to a friend, was the best way I could find to offer some support to a specific reader segment.
The sad truth about our economy and government budget today, is that a large chunk of money is being used to service the existing debt. Therefore, funding anything is less than it should be, and I fear, reforms, hard choices, and long-term plans are a low priority in the run-up to a general election.
The headline, especially for those aged over 45 years of age, is to start thinking and talking about the care for your loved ones; your parents, older members of your family, any family members who need support, and even for yourselves in the future. Don’t wait for a crisis to happen, build alignment and make informed decisions together now, regardless of macroeconomics, and what the government does or doesn’t do. For example, don’t assume that there will be a logical smooth path of support actions after a ‘simple’ operation.
The UK & ONS Census 2021 estimates the number of unpaid carers at 5.7 million, this means around 9% of people are providing unpaid care in the UK.
10 facts which may surprise and shock you.
UK Carers Allowance is £76.75 for 35 hours of caring per week. (£2.19/hour)
IF Carers are employed and can work, they can only earn a maximum of £139 per week. Even this added to the Carer’s Allowance (£76.75 + £139 for 35 hours) still leaves them dismally below the national living wage (£6.16/hour versus £10.42/hour) 2023 - 2024 data. Changed April 1 2024. see below
New findings from Carers UK and the University of Sheffield show that unpaid carers in England and Wales contribute a staggering £445 million to the economy in England and Wales every day – that’s £162 billion per year. In 2021 this economic value of unpaid care is 29% higher than in 2011 (England & Wales)
This means that the value of unpaid care is equivalent to a second NHS in England and Wales, which in 2020/21 received an estimated £164 billion in funding. So, what budgetary motivation is there for the government to overhaul Carers Allowance? Professor Bennett says, ‘Without unpaid Carers the healthcare system would collapse’.
Fewer carers are doing more hours of care: a statistical analysis reveals that unpaid carers are, as individuals, providing more hours of care than they were 10 years ago. While the latest 2021 census data shows there are fewer carers in England and Wales than in 2011, the number of hours of care they provide has shot up - leading to their higher economic contribution.
NHS Funding is not the same as social care funding. Link to MIND's information 'It can sometimes be difficult to say whether a service you receive is health or social care. Healthcare is generally provided free under the NHS. Social care is provided by local authorities, who can charge for it.' Availability, access and delivery of care resources and support are limited; some call it a ‘postcode lottery’. Quality is becoming a secondary consideration. Despite increases to NHS funding over the last 10 years, increases to social care funding have not kept pace and the care system is now relying ever more heavily on unpaid carers to prop it up. Vacancies and high-volume workloads, often overstretch existing staff.
Age UK in 2022 (before the Annual Autumn Statement) published this report Age UK November 2022 ‘Why Can’t I Get care?’ In most cases, the answer to the question this report poses – ‘why can’t I get care?’ - is there simply isn’t the care to get. The severe shortages in staff and the lack of funding to pay for more or better services to provide care or respite provision have left a gaping hole in support, and often services just aren’t available. 'Applying for State funded care is complex, long winded and the barriers to getting an assessment, and means tested help with your care needs, can make it feel like a battle. Even those with previous experience of the care system, or who have received support from our Advice Line, find it difficult to navigate. It’s no wonder people often feel the process is designed more to fob them off, than to truly meet their needs.'
Providing increasing hours of unpaid care, family members have no choice but to give up work or reduce their hours to do so, also putting their physical and mental health needs to one side.
According to Carers UK, over the period 2010-2020, every year, 4.3 million people became unpaid carers – 12,000 people a day (Petrillo and Bennett, 2022). People aged 46-65 were the largest age group to become unpaid carers; 41% of people who became unpaid carers were in this age group (Petrillo and Bennett, 2022).
Helen Walker, chief executive at Carers UK, responded to the 2023 Autumn Statement by saying:
“With its focus on tax cuts, it’s bitterly disappointing that the Government has - yet again - failed to acknowledge the devastating impact the lack of funding for health and social care services is having on millions of unpaid carers supporting older and disabled family members.
“Unpaid carers have been bearing the immense physical, mental and financial strain of providing increasing hours of unpaid care with limited support for far too long. Many cannot take breaks and every day, 600 people give up paid work to provide that care, which has disastrous consequences for their finances and the wider economy.
“While the Government has increased benefits in line with the higher rate of inflation and retained the triple lock, carers desperately needed to see a higher rate of Carer’s Allowance and earnings limit. 75% of unpaid carers receiving the allowance are struggling with cost-of-living pressures.
“Today’s Autumn Statement was one of the Government’s last opportunities to deliver for hard-pressed carers in urgent need of support. It must do the right thing for carers and the economy by prioritising long-term, sustainable investment in social care.”
Click over to the December 3rd, article ‘Spinning plates..’ to start priming yourself with some tips. Don’t forget the experts at Carers UK can also help.
Carers UK Helpline service is available Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0808 808 7777 (including bank holidays, with the exception of Easter Monday). Alternatively, you can contact our Helpline service by emailing advice@carersuk.org at any time.
They offer advice on:
benefits and financial support
your rights as a carer in the workplace
carers' assessments and how to get support in your caring role
services available to carers and the people you care for
how to complain effectively and challenge decisions.