This week is Carers week, an annual campaign to raise awareness, highlight challenges and celebrate unpaid carers. Unpaid carers play a critical role in our health and social care system and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anne Alarilla (one of our Data Impact Fellows), Fiona Grimm and Mai Stafford explore who was providing care during the second wave of the pandemic and why this is important.
Why does this matter?
The response to COVID-19 has strengthened hong kong rcs data the UK’s sense of community and willingness to provide support and care for others. At the same time, the reduction and closure of social care services, such as support services and day care, and rising care needs have fuelled even greater need for unpaid care. In a survey conducted by Carers UK in September 2020, eight out of 10 carers were providing more care since the start of the pandemic. This increase in care burden may also have affected their own health and wellbeing. During October/November 2020, local authorities reported an increase in requests for support due to carer breakdown, sickness, or unavailability.
It has been estimated that unpaid carers have saved the UK £530 million of care costs per day during the pandemic. Yet, throughout the pandemic, government support for unpaid carers was limited and often introduced late.