Carers ‘need proper funding’
A solution to the long-term funding of social care is the best way to help those who have caring responsibilities, says the Carers Trust.
Ministers are to set out new rights for carers in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech.
A Health and Social Care Bill will give them the statutory right to ask for financial support, back-up from professional carers and adaptations to their home.
However, it will be up to local authorities to provide the help, and councils will be able to turn down requests if they cannot afford them.
Central government is to set aside £150m to pay for the new ‘rights’ for carers.
There are almost seven million carers in the UK. 42% of carers are men and 58% are women.
Three in five people will be carers at some point in their lives.
The measures in the Queen’s Speech have been presented as helping in particular women who care for children or parents and who take career breaks to carry out caring duties.
Dr Moira Fraser, Director of Policy and Research at
Carers Trust, told Central Lobby:
“Carers Trust is pleased to see the Government is bringing forward measures to enhance the rights of carers.
“This is welcome and long overdue. However, extra funding for social care is vitally needed.
“Social care enables older and disabled people to stay well and independent for longer.
“New proposals will have minimal impact unless social care needs are met, so we would welcome any move to look seriously at new realistic options for how this can be funded.”
