Carers Trust, the UK’s largest charity for carers, is urging local authorities across England to rethink plans to charge carers for the support they receive.
A new reportpublished today by the organisation found that an increasing number of councils are considering charging for the support services they provide.
But Carers Trust has warned that this will put carers in financial difficulties and at risk of ill health.
Dr Moira Fraser, Director of Policy and Research for Carers Trust, said:
“The lives of many carers are already very stressful and the prospect of being charged when they ask for some support is simply wrong. It would leave many carers in dire straits if they are deterred from accessing the support they need but have to continue caring to the detriment of their own health and wellbeing.
“It’s time we realised that carers need more support, not less, and we urge any councils that are considering charging carers not to take this step. Instead, we call on the government to increase the funding given to local councils for social care so that they can provide carers with the best help and support possible. We owe it to carers and the people they care for.”
Tom Brake MP, Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington and Shadow Opposition Leader of the House of Commons, added:
“This report from Carers Trust has highlighted a worrying trend which is seeing the support given to unpaid carers turned from being an essential into a luxury service.
“We have to reverse that trend now in the interests of carers, the people that they care for, and the stability of our entire social care system. Carers need to be championed and I support Carers Trust in their call on councils not to charge carers for support and in urging the government to plug the widening gap in social care funding.”
Conservative MP Mims Davies echoed Mr Brake, saying: “I welcome this report. Unpaid carers play a huge role in provision of social care. Clearly, in an age where we are finally recognising this urgent need it is vital that unpaid carers are not discouraged by Councils charging them. I urge those Councils that are charging unpaid carers to read this report and think again.”
The call comes after Carers Trust made a Freedom of Information request to 147 local authorities in England to find out how many are currently charging carers for support.
The findings, in the charity’s new report, A Charge on Caring? showed that eight of the 132 councils that responded, currently impose a charge and another 23 will be considering it in the next 12 months.
The costs currently in place range from £3 per week to £16.98 per week per carer.
Building on the findings Carers Trust is now calling for a change in the law so that local authorities can no longer charge carers.
The charity would also like to see the recording of data on the numbers of carers being charged and the average amount per carer to be made mandatory.