Action for Carers respond to the 2021 Budget
“We join national carers charities Carers Trust and Carers UK in expressing our disappointment with this year’s budget.”
A difficult year
While we acknowledge that 2020 and 2021 have been extremely challenging for all of us, we believe that unpaid carers have shouldered a disproportionate amount of the strain. Unpaid carers have continued delivering care despite their own support networks being heavily impacted by COVID 19. Numerous reports have shown how the pandemic has negatively affected all aspects of unpaid care – there has been a significant rise in the number of unpaid carers, additional financial strain placed upon them and an increase in the amount of care they deliver.
Fairer for carers
We joined Carers UK and other carer support organisations in calling on the government to urgently address the financial hardship many unpaid carers were facing as a result of their caring role. The Fairer for Carers campaign sought to redress the balance and we are enormously frustrated that there has been no acknowledgment of unpaid carers in this budget.
Statement from our CEO, Jamie Gault
“We join national carers charities Carers Trust and Carers UK in expressing our disappointment with this year’s budget. There is a failure to address the social care crisis and no announcement of any abiding plan for social care. On top of this, there is no long-term plan to raise Carers’ Allowance in line with the £20 top up to Universal Credit, as many have been campaigning for. All despite the UK’s unpaid carers bearing the heaviest burden, particularly during this past year, with many now at breaking point, emotionally and financially.”
More information
ONS Coronavirus and the impact on caring