Helen Walker, Chief Executive at Carers UK, said:
"This year’s spending review comes in the middle of Carers Week, a national campaign led by Carers UK highlighting the many inequalities carers face and the investment and support they desperately need.
"With 40% of current carers postponing or cancelling a medical appointment, test, scan, treatment or therapy because of caring, it is positive to hear plans for further spending on the NHS. This funding must bring about a fresh approach to the way the NHS interacts with unpaid carers informed by the Government’s NHS 10-year plan, providing them with recognition as well as support.
"Unpaid carers, who provide care worth £184 billion a year, are being relied on to plug the gaps for a failing health and social care system, often at a cost to their own health. When speaking about the NHS many carers report a lack of support and recognition, long wait times for services, and inconsistent care. The Government’s forthcoming NHS 10-year plan is an opportunity to change this for carers.
"The spending review includes £4 billion of spending for social care over the spending review period which is welcome, but it’s not clear what it comprises of and what will be delivered in the short-term. We need more detail about this to be able to evaluate what support might be there for families. Carers are already under huge pressure and an estimated 600 people a day give up work in order to care, many having very little choice about taking on a caring role.
"Carers are overwhelmed because they find it impossible to take a break from their caring role. Families are also deeply worried by proposed welfare reform changes which could see 150,000 people lose their entitlement to carers’ benefits by 2029/30 - a reduction in financial support for carers worth £500 million. We need to see unpaid carers’ incomes boosted, not reduced.
"Carers UK will continue to press the Government for change so that no carer has to face poverty, social isolation, poor mental and physical health because of their caring role."