"Unpaid carers battle for years without help", says new charity for carers

Many unpaid carers are struggling for years to look after sick or disabled family members or friends without help, research from new leading carers’ charity, Carers Trust has found.

Apart from support from family and friends, almost two thirds, (64 per cent) of carers polled said they had never accessed any other support or services such as respite breaks or counselling. The survey also found that 60 per cent of people who have been caring for over five years, have done so without any support.

The carers who sought out extra help, (46 per cent) only did so, after they were made aware that there was assistance available specifically for carers.

The survey also showed that “battling on as a carer without support can lead to serious problems in carers’ lives.” 59 per cent of carers said that being a carer had a negative impact on their working life. And almost six in ten (58%) of the carers surveyed said that their mental health has been affected by being a carer. The survey of 500 unpaid adult carers was carried out by YouGov for Carers Trust.

Anne Roberts, chief executive of Carers Trust said: “As this survey shows many unpaid carers have never accessed any support services to help them in their caring role. We already know that many carers simply don’t have any awareness of the kind of help that is out there and what a huge difference it could make to their lives.

“We’ve launched Carers Trust so we can ensure that all carers know where to go to get that help when they need it and to help society recognise and value the role of carers in our communities across the UK.”

Film and TV stars Helen Mirren, Dame Judi Dench and Joanna Lumley are among the well-known names supporting Carers Trust. Dame Judi Dench said: “There are almost six million carers in the UK and the number is rising. Many of those carers are unaware of the support that is available to them and continue looking after their family or friends without any help and often at a cost to their own health and wellbeing.”

Carers Trust is a recently formed charity from the merger of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care, and works to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, who has agreed to be President of Carers Trust said: “Carers Trust will provide a united and stronger voice for unpaid carers which will enable us to continue to raise awareness of carers’ issues with Government, other policy makers and the general public and hopefully increase funding opportunities to develop and deliver the services so needed by carers and those they care for.”

Carers can also get help by visiting their local Carers’ Centre or Crossroads Care Scheme or by going online at www.carers.org.