Carers UK Chief Executive, Heléna Herklots, gave a mixed reaction to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. George Osborne’s decision to increase carers and disability benefits in line with inflation is welcome but more local government cuts will undermine the already creaking social care system. Whilst most benefits for working age people will increase by only 1%, an increase below ...

Today is national Carers Rights Day, when over 850 events take place across the country to give advice and information to the UK’s 6.4 million carers, 3 million of whom juggle work and care. Carers Rights Day is supported by Sainsbury's and they, along with other Employers for Carers members, are using the day to promote good workplace practices which support staff ...

Sandwich generation parents are emotionally and financially overwhelmed by the pressures of raising children alongside caring for ageing relatives, new research from Carers UK reveals.

Cass Business School report says care reform can act as an engine for economic growth A fundamental shift in policy on care for older and disabled people could not only better support families in the UK, but also add significant value to the economy, according to a new report commissioned and published by Carers UK, researched and written by Professor ...

Carers UK has responded to the Deputy Prime Minister's announcement on Government proposals to support parents juggling work and care.

£5.3bn cost to the economy in lost earnings of carers giving up work to care

Carers UK has written to the Chancellor George Osborne and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith urging them to protect carers and disability benefits from any measures to freeze benefit levels. The letter follows media reports that the Government is considering benefit freezes as part of further reductions in public expenditure. 

Carers UK urges action to tackle barriers to families accessing telecare benefits  New research from Carers UK has shown that, despite huge potential benefits of using telecare and telehealth, families caring for ill, frail and disabled loved ones are still facing barriers to accessing the services.

Carers UK has responded to new research from Which? published today, highlighting serious failings in homecare for older people and the impact this is having on their families. 

Carers UK has expressed disappointment that the Government has today refused to support a backbench Bill designed to improve identification of carers and improve access to services to support carers and disabled people.

MPs urged to support business-backed care Bill to support ‘work, families and the economy’ Today (Friday 7th September) MPs will debate a backbench Bill to improve support services for carers and disabled people. A cross-party group of MPs, led by Barbara Keeley MP, has brought forward the Social Care (Local Sufficiency) and Identification of Carers Bill, designed to ensure ...

ITV has announced that Carers UK is amongst six charities which will be supported by Text Santa, their major fundraising campaign, this Christmas. 

Responding to the publication of the social care White Paper, draft Care and Support Bill and progress report on funding, Carers UK Chief Executive Heléna Herklots said: “Every one of us will need or provide care to ill, frail or disabled loved ones at some point in our lives. We all need to know that, when caring affects us, ...

Carers UK has joined forces with Barbara Keeley MP and a cross party group of MPs to work on a new piece of legislation to improve the supply of social care and help identify hidden carers.Barbara Keeley MP, a long-term advocate for carers, secured a spot in the parliamentary calendar for a ‘Private Member’s Bill’ – a piece of ...

In advance of the publication of the Government's White Paper on social care next week, Carers UK Chief Executive Heléna Herklots said: “Reform of social care is long overdue for the 6.4 million unpaid carers in the UK, particularly the million people caring for over 50 hours a week for ill frail or disabled loved ones. The care provided by these ...

New poll shows 9 in 10 of public reject current social care funding system  One year after the Dilnot Commission’s report into the funding of long term care,  an ICM poll reveals that 89% of English adults believe that older and disabled people shouldn’t have to bear all the costs for support with everyday tasks such as eating, washing ...

The three finalists for the Carers Award; Margaret Baker, Sue Colley and Christine Hayden were announced and celebrated at the Great British Care Awards 2012 with a standing ovation by 550 guests on Saturday 23 June 2012. Margaret Baker was selected as the overall winner.

National volunteering charity TimeBank has been awarded a grant of £256,273 by the Big Lottery Fund to support carers in an innovative volunteering project in partnership with Carers UK.

During Carers Week, employers and HM Government commit to new working group to deliver a 'triple win' for families, employers and the economy.

Call for urgent action on care crisis as shocking new Carers Week research shows two in five carers are sacrificing their own health by putting off medical treatment to care.