Wakefield Council urged to back campaign to support thousands of unpaid carers during cost of living crisis

Councillors are being urged to back a campaign to support thousands of carers across the Wakefield district during the cost of living crisis.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

There are approximately 36,000 unpaid carers in the Wakefield district and over 10,000 carers across the area provide more than 50 hours of unpaid care per week.

Campaign group Carers UK estimates that nationally, carers save the economy £132 billion per year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Across the Wakefield district this saving is thought to be worth over £700 million.

There are approximately 36,000 unpaid carers in the Wakefield district.There are approximately 36,000 unpaid carers in the Wakefield district.
There are approximately 36,000 unpaid carers in the Wakefield district.

In a motion to Wednesday’s full council meeting, Labour councillors will highlight the vital contribution carers make every day to families and communities and raise awareness of the challenges unpaid carers face.

The motion also calls on councillors to support a campaign by Carers UK and other charities.

It calls on the Government to publish a recovery and respite plan for unpaid carers – outlining additional support for carers across a range of areas, including breaks, infection control and measures to increase the identification of carers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The motion also calls for greater financial help to protect carers from the cost of living crisis, well-being support and support to help people juggle work alongside their caring responsibilities.

Read More
Councillors urged to declare a ‘cost of living emergency’ across Wakefield

Maureen Cummings, Labour councillor for Crofton, Ryhill and Walton, who is proposing the motion, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has been particularly tough for unpaid carers because of services shutting down, leaving carers to cope, often alone.

“Even before the cost of living crisis, 63 per cent of carers were spending their own money on care or support services, or products for the person they care for.

“The added pressures they currently face are significantly impacting the financial situation of many.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wakefield Council is working, alongside partners, to help make caring visible, valued and supported, including providing funding support for Carers Wakefield and District, a dedicated service for unpaid carers.

“However, we recognise that more can and must be done. In tabling this motion, we aim to increase awareness of support services for local carers across our district, who may not know that help is out there.

“And it is why we are calling on the Government to bring forward a Recovery and Respite Plan, giving carers the help and support they need and deserve.

Melanie Jones, Labour councillor for Hemsworth, who is also chair of Carers Wakefield and District, said: “Many unpaid carers don’t separate their role from the usual relationship with the person they care for.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This has implications for support and prevention services for carers, as they are difficult to target.

“Many new carers are women already in poverty, are usually younger, and are often juggling caring alongside paid employment.

“As many as 100,000 people in the UK, undertaking unpaid caring, have had to use food banks to survive.

“Evidence suggests that carers are less likely to access services such as healthcare and social supports than the general population due to a tendency to prioritise the needs of the person they care for above their own.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The implication of this is that the health and well-being needs of carers are not always met and often carers will only seek support when their situation has worsened to the point where they cannot provide their usual care to the person they care for.

“We want carers to be visible and feel valued and supported, and hope that this motion to council will encourage those providing care to seek out support.”