The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee has published a new report titled: London's unpaid carers - calling for more financial support for London's unpaid carers. 

Emily Holzhausen CBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, said:

“It’s very encouraging to see the London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee shining a spotlight on unpaid carers. We were proud to contribute evidence to this inquiry and to support unpaid carers to share their lived experience directly, ensuring their voices are at the heart of these findings.

"We particularly welcome the Committee’s focus on increasing financial support for Londoners, as unpaid carers are significantly more likely to face financial hardship, with poverty rates around 50% higher than for those not providing care. Addressing this inequality is essential to building a fairer London.

"We also agree that identifying carers earlier and helping people to balance work and care are essential. One of the main drivers of poverty is the difficulty of combining paid work with unpaid care; we therefore need to see better access to flexible working, more employers offering paid carer’s leave, and improved social care support so that carers can stay in work if they choose to.

"Other recommendations, such as reducing transport costs for carers in London and introducing a London weighting for Carer’s Allowance alongside wider government reform, would also make a real and meaningful difference for carers, helping them to better manage rising costs.

"We’re particularly proud of Employers for Carers (EfC), our employer membership forum dedicated to championing and promoting effective workplace support for staff with caring responsibilities, and we would very much welcome the Greater London Authority joining us in this work.

"Supporting carers across the capital is not a marginal issue – it’s a reality for thousands of people. By the age of 50, the average person has a 50:50 chance of providing unpaid care - long before they reach retirement.

"We hope the mayor and the government take these findings on board and act decisively to make real, transformative change that London’s carers need and deserve."