Chamberlain secures debate highlighting unpaid carers

Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, has secured a debate highlighting the importance of working cross-governmentally to improve unpaid carer’s rights.

The debate will take place on Tuesday 3rd September and will highlight the importance of unpaid carers across the UK and the work the Government needs to do to improve their rights and recognise their vital work.

Currently, there are 5.7 million unpaid carers in the UK. They are integral to the functioning of the UK economy and society, representing an economic value of £162 billion per year. Yet, despite this, unpaid care is deeply undervalued, with unpaid carers often living in poverty due to having to leave employment to manage their caring responsibilities. As a result, carers are less likely to accrue retirement savings and tend to have worse health outcomes. Young carers are also less likely to achieve academically as there is no support in place to help balance education, caring and finances.

The last national carers strategy was developed in 2008 under Gordon Brown, however, there is still no strategy currently implemented. Whilst in opposition, the Labour Shadow Minister for Social Care committed to developing a National Carers Strategy, yet their manifesto failed to mention carers once.

In the debate, Chamberlain will call for the Government to work cross-party to establish an unpaid carers strategy that will provide leadership to address the issues faced.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Chamberlain said:

“Caring or being cared for is an almost universal experience. During our lifetimes, almost everybody will find themselves being an unpaid carer for their loved ones at some point – or being cared for by their loved ones in turn.

“Despite this, unpaid carers face a great deal of difficulty when trying to balance caring and employment without any proper support in place.

“I am so pleased to have passed the unpaid Carer’s Leave Act to help carers balance their time, but we still have a long way to go. That is why this debate is so important.

“I welcome that the Prime Minister has appointed a Minister of State for Care, but we need cross-government action to ensure unpaid carers can continue to care while maintaining their work rights, benefits, pensions and their education.”