Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.
The campaign is brought to life by thousands of individuals and organisations who come together to provide support for carers, run activities, highlight the vital role carers play in our communities and draw attention to just how important caring is.
This year the theme is ‘Putting Carers on the Map’ highlighting the invaluable contributions of carers across the UK and ensuring their voices are heard loud and clear. Together we want to help increase the visibility of the carers among politicians, employers and throughout our communities. And by raising awareness we hope they will better recognise the challenges unpaid carers face and help them access the support they deserve.
Who is a carer?
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. It isn’t someone who volunteers or is employed to provide support.
Commitments for the future Government
Carer’s Week, together with all partner organisations and supporters, want all political parties to commit to:
- Developing a new, ambitious and funded National Carers Strategy
- Reforming and increasing the level of Carer’s Allowance
- Ensuring that all carers are able to take meaningful breaks
- Providing sustainable funding for social care
- Making the NHS the most carer-friendly healthcare service in the world
- Introducing two weeks of paid Carer’s Leave for working carers
- Investing in support to aid carers’ health and wellbeing