Unpaid Carers in Yorkshire and Humber Save the UK Economy Over £11 Billion a Year
People in Yorkshire and The Humber who look after a loved-one, friend or even neighbour for free, are saving the UK economy billions of pounds every year.
Since 2001, the value of unpaid carers has nearly doubled - that's as support from public services decreases.
The charity, Carers UK, has revealed that 573,954 people in the Yorkshire and Humber area give unpaid care to friends or family, who are disabled or seriously-ill.
It thought that as more people are living longer, more people are stepping into unpaid carer roles. Beverley Shaw, from Hull's Carers service, told Viking FM that if these unpaid carers were to step down - the NHS and public services would not be able to cope with the demand. Beverley also explained a carer is more than you might first think:
'Anyone who’s caring for a family member, loved one or friend who could otherwise could not manage without their help. So that could be someone with a substance misuse problem, could be physical disability, frailty, mental health problems or learning disability.'
'It might be supporting them to get ready for the day. Not even practically or physically it might just be prompting. So a lot of reassurance for those suffering with mental health problems, and these are the unseen impacts of caring. You haven’t only got the physical side but the emotional side.'
'They may not even be doing it quite a lot. They might just be dipping in and out. But whether you’re at the end of the spectrum where you're providing a whole lot of support, or just popping in. I would still class that neighbour as an unpaid carer.'
'So knowing what’s available at an early stage is really helpful. The amount of times that people come in and say “I'm not a carer”. We aren't telling you, you are a carer but you can access information, advice and support if you are involved in an caring role.'