The Department for Work and Pensions has been called upon to increase the support it provides to carers, following criticism that the current payments do not cover costs. It is estimated that there are 5.7 million individuals in the UK providing unpaid care for 20 hours or more each week, with 1.4 million claiming Carer's Allowance from the DWP.
A report by TakingCare titled 'Unpaid and under pressure: are Brits trapped caring for elderly parents? revealed that 82 per cent believe the existing Carer's Allowance of £81.90 a week is insufficient. The DWP benefit can only be claimed by those who provide over 35 hours a week of unpaid care and equates to £2.19 per hour five times less than the minimum wage.
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Alternatively, those on Universal Credit can also receive a separate Carer Element, currently set at £198.31 a month.
When questioned about how much money they would realistically require if they were to quit work to care for an elderly relative, 80 per cent of adults surveyed stated they'd need over £100 a week, and 50 per cent said they'd need over £200 a week. One in five adults admitted they'd realistically need £400 a week to care for an elderly parent and cover their costs in the current economic climate, reports Birmingham Live.
The report highlights that the escalating costs of care homes are influencing people's decisions to become carers themselves, with 32 per cent admitting they or their elderly relative could not afford a typical four-year residency in a care facility. Carer's UK corroborates this trend, indicating that one in seven carers in the UK balance work and caregiving duties, often alongside caring for their own families and children.
Carer's UK's research also reveals a staggering statistic: daily, 600 individuals leave their jobs to provide care for someone in need, resulting in nearly two million people transitioning from paid employment to unpaid caregiving roles between 2010 and 2020.
Lauren Frake, an expert in elderly care at Taking Care Personal Alarms for Seniors, commented on the findings: "Our report shows some of the harsh realities for unpaid carers in our country, with many struggling to cope in the current financial landscape. We have found this is largely due to a lack of wider support available to them; they are simply slipping through the cracks."
Frake further emphasised the importance of financial awareness for unpaid carers, especially given the cost of living crisis and rising inflation: "Given the current financial climate, it's crucial for unpaid carers to understand what financial support is available to them, particularly in light of the cost of living crisis and rising inflation. One thing unpaid carers can claim for is Carer's Credit, a National Insurance credit that helps bridge some of the gaps in a carer's National Insurance record and helps towards your State Pension."
"Claimants must care for someone for at least 20 hours per week, with the credit allowing them to maintain caring responsibilities and still contribute to their State Pension, which is based on NI contributions. Alongside this, carers should look to their local authority for further support."
"Many councils will have their own list of registered organisations, charities and support groups that can help vulnerable or elderly people in the community. For those caring for elderly friends or relatives, it's advisable to get at-home support through a needs assessment from your local authority which will help open the door to further support."
While the Carer's Leave Act now effective since 6th April 2024 allows employees unpaid leave time to care for dependants (including the elderly), it's regarded as not entirely sufficient by Ms Frake. She expressed: "This act will undoubtedly provide employees with the reassurance that they have the right to take time off from work to care for their elderly relatives. However, there is still a large gap to fill in providing support to those balancing full-time employment and family life with the responsibility of caring for elderly family members, with many of these carers being women."
The legislation provides workers with the right to unpaid leave to care for a dependant who requires it due to a physical or mental illness or injury expected to last over three months, a disability as per the Equality Act 2010, or needs arising from old age. This isn't limited to family members but extends to any individual depending on the employee for care.
Workers can avail themselves of one week's carer's leave each year, calculated based on their usual working pattern over a week. For example, someone working three days weekly is entitled to three days of leave.
The leave can be taken consecutively over a week or spread out as individual days or half-days across the year.
Lauren commented: "One of the main issues that the UK is currently facing is that elderly care is seen as a taboo topic to many households, with nine out of ten people saying they have not discussed future care plans with their parents, and 50 per cent of people aged 50-plus saying they have not discussed what will happen when their parents become too frail to care for themselves."
"The findings of this survey are exactly why we launched our Have the Talk campaign we want to get Britain talking more openly. Currently, there's a real nervousness and reluctance to ask for help especially as people get older. For many older people, it's difficult to see roles being reversed when they have so often been the carer or even parental figure. Our campaign is about removing the stigma from these conversations and encouraging families to be open and honest with each other when it comes to planning for the future the sooner, the better."
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