Carers UK welcomes Caring Choices report

The initiative was run by a coalition of 15 organisations with an interest in the long-term care system, including Carers UK. The report is the culmination of a nine-month nationwide consultation involving over 700 people with direct experience of the system as users, carers, providers or researchers.

Commenting on the report, Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:

“Carers form the bedrock of the social care system. The care they provide is worth £87 billion per year yet in return they are marginalised in society and forced into ill health and poverty. Carers UK has been calling for an overhaul of the social care system and the Caring Choices initiative is an important contribution to that debate. We welcome the areas of broad agreement which have emerged, including the recognition that the present system of funding long-term care is not fit for purpose and that better support for unpaid carers is crucial.”

She continued:

 “Carers UK has called for a new social contract which would revolutionise the relationship between families, the state and other parts of society. It requires new commitments from employers, local agencies and communities.  We all have a role to play in supporting carers within our communities since care is something that we can all expect to provide and receive at some point in our lives.

This reality needs to be recognised in the new National Carers Strategy, due to be published by the Prime Minister later this year, and the Green Paper on long term care. We have made the economic and moral case for better support for carers. 2008 is the year for Government to deliver.”

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Notes to editors:

1. The full Caring Choices coalition report and press release can be read here: www.caringchoices.org.uk. The Caring Choices initiative was led by the King’s Fund, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Help the Aged and Age Concern and included 11 other partner organisations including Carers UK.
2. The new social contact is outlined in the report Carers, Employment and Services: time for a new social contract? by Professor Sue Yeandle and Dr Lisa Buckner from University of Leeds.It is one of a series of publications commissioned by Carers UK and draws together the findings of the other reports on the Carers, Employment and Services (CES) Study conducted in 2006-7. More information can be found here. 
3. Case studies and spokespeople are available. For further information contact Kate Groucutt (020 7922 7979 or kate.groucutt@carersuk.org) or Katherine Wilson (020 7922 7988 or Katherine.wilson@carersuk.org).