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Carers UK launches Carers Manifesto

Adult carers, Armed forces carers, Parent carers, Young adult carers
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Carers UK launches Carers Manifesto

Action for Carers supports the ‘Carers Manifesto’, just launched by Carers UK, in advance of a likely change of government this year. 
It lays out key policy recommendations for the future government, detailing what needs to happen to make life better for the UK’s nearly six million unpaid carers.
It covers key areas including carer health and wellbeing; preventing financial hardship; better identification and recognition; improving care and support; support to juggle work and care and equality for carers.

This includes:

1. Reform and increase the level of Carer’s Allowance
At just £81.90 a week, Carer’s Allowance is one of the lowest benefits of its kind. The earnings limit must also be raised, to enable carers to balance work and care and support themselves financially.
2. Introduce paid Carer’s Leave.

To help keep carers in work, the next government must introduce a statutory entitlement to two weeks of paid Carer’s Leave. To make workplaces even more accessible, unpaid carers should also be given the option of six months of unpaid Carer’s Leave.

3. Transform the way the NHS interacts with unpaid carers to make it the most carer-friendly health service in the world.

This should include an annual health check for carers and mandatory training for frontline professionals to ensure they can identify and support carers.

4. Make caring the 10th protected characteristic, by amending the Equalities Act 2010.

Carers say they feel invisible, overlooked, and discriminated against – currently there is no requirement for workplaces to provide reasonable adjustments for carers in the workplace.

5. Develop a new National Carers Strategy.

The last Carers Strategy was published in 2008 – 16 years ago. The next government must lay out a new funded plan to support unpaid carers, which focuses on delivering tangible progress for carers, their families, and those they care for.

Find out more

Read the full manifesto here.

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