Scotland’s unpaid carers let down!

Gordon Brown today launched the UK Government’s long-awaited review of the 1999 Strategy for Carers. The strategy, “Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities: A caring system on your side. A life of your own”, sets out the UK Government’s short term actions to

support carers and the longer term strategic vision. The report was informed by a major consultation with carers throughout the UK.

The strategy recognises the important contribution that carers make to communities and the nation and identifies a number of key issues, supported in the short term by a financial package of £255 million (primarily to support developments in England).

However, it fails to address adequately the over-riding concern for all carers throughout the UK, namely the inadequate financial supports and benefits available to sustain carers in their unique and invaluable role. This is one of the few reserved matters where positive changes would have a

direct impact on carers in Scotland and throughout the UK.

Pat Begley, Director of Carers Scotland said:

“While strategy recognises the positive contribution of carers to society, it offers little comfort to the thousands of unpaid carers in Scotland who suffer financial hardship as a direct consequence of their caring role. Carers will justifiably be bitterly disappointed that once again, they are promised only a review of their financial benefits but not a penny more in hard cash.

“Being offered the equivalent of £1.44 per hour for a minimum 35 hours a week offends against natural justice and the core values of a caring society.  Put in context, the minimum wage for paid care workers is £5.80 per hour. The reality is that 110,000 carers in Scotland care for 50 hours or more each week often without the support and safeguards that paid employees enjoy. We will continue to campaign against this injustice and to promote a fairer deal for the 660,000 unpaid carers in Scotland who save the Scottish economy £7.6 billion each year.”

However, there is some good news for carers in Scotland!

What is to be welcomed is the fact that the UK Government acknowledges that unpaid carers are at the heart of the health and social care system and that they ought to be recognised and supported effectively in their caring role.

The Strategy mirrors many of the recommendations of “Care 21: the future of unpaid care in Scotland”, Scotland’s vision for carers for the future” published in 2006, particularly:

• the recognition of carers as equal and expert partners in the delivery of care;
• the personalisation of care services;
• the need to promote the positive health and wellbeing of carers;
• carers’ entitlement to a life apart from caring;
• access to regular breaks from caring;
• training to support carers in their caring role;
• the need to recognise young carers as children and young people first and foremost, and
• the need for workers in the health and social care sector to have to access to carer awareness training.

The Strategy augments this by making a number of welcome commitments to supporting carers on reserved matters, in particular a funding packing of £38 million to enable carers remain in or enter employment, by: 

• introducing a carer-specific programme at Jobcentre Plus to improve the help and advice available to carers who wish to re-enter the job market.
• active promotion of flexible working for carers including a review of flexible working practices for carers.
• undertaking an awareness raising campaign for employers and carers about flexible working.

The Strategy also commits to a review of the financial support for carers in the context of the wider care agenda in society. Carers Scotland welcomes the promise of this full review and will be asking the Government to begin this review immediately. Carers Scotland will continue its

campaign of Real Change not Short Change in fighting for a better financial settlement for carers.

Further information:

• Fiona Collie, Policy & Parliamentary Affairs Manager T. 0141 221 9141 E. fiona.collie@carerscotland.org
• Patrick J Begley, Director T. 0141 221 9141 E. pat.begley@carerscotland.org
• Anne Conlin, Training & Development Manager T. 0141 221 9141 E. anne.conlin@carerscotland.org

Notes for Editors

1)   Carers Scotland

Carers give so much to society yet as a consequence of caring, they experience ill health, poverty and discrimination. Carers Scotland is an organisation of carers fighting to end this injustice and will not stop until people recognise the true value of carers’ contribution to society and carers get the practical, financial and emotional support they need.  Carers Scotland is here to improve carers’ lives. We fight for equality for carers. We want carers to have the same right as everyone else to an ordinary life – a fair level of income, access to support to protect their health and well

being and access to the world of work, leisure and education. We seek to empower carers. We want carers to be actively involved in the design, development and delivery of services. We want carers to be recognised and involved as key partners in the provision of health and social care

services. Carers Scotland achieves this by: campaigning for the changes that make a real difference for carers, providing information and advice to carers about their rights and how to get support, mobilising carers and supporters to influence decision-makers; gathering hard evidence

about what needs to change; and transforming the understanding of caring so that carers are valued and not discriminated against. Visit: www.carerscotland.org

Carers Scotland is the Scottish nation office of Carers UK. For more information about Carers UK visit: www.carersuk.org  

2)   Carers in Scotland

There are 660,000 carers in Scotland, saving the Scottish economy £7.6 billion each year. 110,000 carers provide 50 hours of care or more each week often at great cost to their own health, finances and wellbeing. Every year 178,000 people become carers and it is estimated that by

2037, there will be more than 1 million carers in Scotland.

3)   Care 21: the future of unpaid care in Scotland

Copies of the report and its recommendations can be downloaded from:

www.carerscotland.org/Policyandpractice/Keylegislationandpolicy/Care21-reports alongside information on the 4 initial areas for action – respite breaks, carer health, carer training and young carers.

4)   UK Strategy for Carers

Read more about what Carers Scotland, Carers UK and carers called for to be included in the Strategy at www.carerscotland.org/Policyandpractice/NationalCarersStrategy