Liz Kendall responds to Care UK report on unpaid carers

Liz Kendall, Labour's Shadow Minister for Social Care, responding to figures from Carers UK’s showing that unpaid carers are being pushed to breaking point and may be forced to quit work, said:

“Even before the pandemic, almost half of all family carers said they hadn’t taken a break in over five years. These new figures show that this has got even worse, and as respite services struggle to reopen, it is unpaid carers who are paying the price.

“Without family carers, our social care system would collapse. And yet, the Government’s plans to ‘fix the crisis in social care’ will do nothing to support the millions of unpaid carers who are seeing their own health and finances suffer because of their caring responsibilities.

“The government must deliver a proper plan for social care that gives family carers the decent support they so desperately need. Families cannot wait any longer – they need help and they need it now.”