Latest news with #CarersWeek
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Lanarkshire Carers celebrates 30 years of providing advice and support
A 30th anniversary celebration summer dance was held as part of Carers Week 2025 to mark the occasion. Lanarkshire Carers is celebrating 30 years of delivering information, advice, and support to carers in Lanarkshire. A 30th anniversary celebration summer dance was held as part of Carers Week 2025 to mark the occasion. In 1995, a small group of carers met in a community hall with the shared interest of making things better for people who look after someone else, the people who care. That was the start of Lanarkshire Carers and everything the charity has grown into and developed as a vital, progressive and dynamic organisation. Lanarkshire Carers continues with its core purpose of working with and for carers to make a positive difference to their lives. Barbara McAuley, CEO of Lanarkshire Carers, said: 'It was a fantastic evening of food, entertainment and dancing. Many carers spoke about the impact Lanarkshire Carers has on their lives and how much they enjoy being part of the organisation and the 30th year celebration. 'My colleagues and I are truly fortunate to work for a carer led organisation and thanks must go to that first group of carers in 1995 and to every carer who has contributed to Lanarkshire Carers since then. The evening was a celebration with staff, volunteers, board members, carers and friends coming together to enjoy themselves, make connections and happy memories. 'Lanarkshire Carers culture and values shone throughout and were reflected in the many comments and emotions shared during the evening. 'It is a special year for a wonderful organisation and a privilege to be part of this celebration. Carers must be recognised and valued for everything they do and have access to the information, advice and support they need, we know from over 16,000 members the impact of Lanarkshire Carers work.' The dance was held at Hamilton Park Racecourse with nearly 200 guests including carers who are members of Lanarkshire Carers and representatives from North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council and Carers Trust Scotland. The dance marked the grand finale of Lanarkshire Carers busy programme of activities for Carers Week 2025, which included laughter therapy, crystal sound bath, jewellery making and singing workshops all of which proved to be popular taster sessions with carers. There was also a woodland wellbeing walk in the Morgan Glen Nature Reserve and a fresh-air catch up in Drumpellier Country Park. In the weeks leading up to Carers Week, 10 carer catch up sessions were held across North and South Lanarkshire localities for carers to take time out from their caring roles, meet Lanarkshire Carers staff, access information and engage with other carers for peer support and connections. Board member Phil Hughes said: 'The night made me even more proud, if that's possible, of our organisation. It was well organised by staff who are caring, pleasant, and professional. 'They ensured everyone had a really good time and are a credit to our organisation. Carers Week is a busy time for Lanarkshire Carers when the normal daily work also continues. 'The theme this year highlights our services and approach and it was good to see so many carers supported through the additional Carers Week activities.' Lanarkshire Carers provides information, advice and a range of direct support services for unpaid carers in Lanarkshire which can help carers maintain and improve their quality of life and continue to care. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Bathgate and Linlithgow MP pledges to stand up for unpaid carers in Parliament
Kirsteen Sullivan MP attended a Carers Week event in Parliament earlier this month and met with unpaid carers to hear about their experiences of caring and the inequalities they face, how carers can be better identified and recognised, and the support they urgently need. Bathgate and Linlithgow MP Kirsteen Sullivan has pledged to stand up for unpaid carers in Parliament and address the inequalities they face. Kirsteen attended a Carers Week event in Parliament earlier this month and met with unpaid carers to hear about their experiences of caring and the inequalities they face, how carers can be better identified and recognised, and the support they urgently need. The event was organised by Carers UK and supported by seven other Carers Week charities – Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, The ME Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, and The Lewy Body Society. Together, these organisations are calling on the Government to commit to undertaking coordinated cross-Government action in support of unpaid carers, leading to the delivery of a new National Carers Strategy. Kirsteen said: 'Unpaid carers in Bathgate and Linlithgow provide a vital role in supporting family members and friends, often without support for themselves. 'The value of care they provide amounts to a staggering £184 billion each year – equivalent to a second NHS – yet too many face inequalities because of their caring responsibilities. 'Many carers face financial hardship, struggle to balance paid work and unpaid care, or go without essential support for their own health and wellbeing. 'I pledge to stand up for carers in parliament to ensure unpaid carers in Bathgate and Linlithgow receive the support they need and recognition they deserve. 'I support the call for co-ordinated cross-Government action in support of unpaid carers and a new National Carers Strategy, to tackle the inequalities unpaid carers face and deliver the support they urgently need.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'I feel that I am not valued as a carer'
A woman whose 11-year-old son has complex disabilities says she feels under valued as a carer. Speaking during Carers Week, Becky Pain-Tolin, from Gloucestershire, said the care system was "diabolical" and "incredibly underfunded". Ms Pain-Tolin, whose father has advanced vascular dementia and lives in a care home, said: "Unpaid carers deserve more, my father deserves more and my son deserves more." A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said they understood "the huge difference carers make, as well as the struggles so many face". They said the government increased the Carer's Allowance earnings threshold by £45 a week to £196, which would benefit more than 60,000 carers by 2029/30. Ms Pain-Tolin's son needs two-to-one care at all times and three-to-one care when in the community. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire Without the support she gets from Gloucestershire County Council, the 42-year-old said she would be on the verge of a breakdown. Ms Pain-Tolin said she worked 12 hours a week, but this meant she was "really pushing" what she could manage, which had impacted her mental health. "'I do not have much of a life that does not involve caring," she said. The DWP said it had launched an independent review into social care, which would "include exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support". According to Gloucestershire County Council, there were 52,000 people listed as unpaid carers in the county in the 2021 Census. But Lisa Walker, the regional manager of Gloucestershire Carers Hub, said she thought the figure was significantly higher because unpaid carers frequently do not identify themselves as such. "I am an unpaid carer myself, I didn't even recognise that I was one until a colleague pointed it out," she said. Ms Walker said there were a number of inequalities experienced by people working as unpaid carers. "One of the biggest things is health and people not prioritising their own wellbeing. "There are also issues around health professionals and GPs recognising that people have another additional role. "There are issues around working. Approximately 600 people a day leave work because of care responsibilities. "There is also people's mental wellbeing and accessing social activities - those are just some of the inequalities that carers face," she added. The theme for this year's carers week, which is running from Monday to Friday, is caring about equality. Gloucestershire Carers Hub hosted an event on Monday to provide resources and support for those in need. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Adult social care service 'requires improvement' SEND families being let down by authority and NHS County has 6,000 young carers 'unaccounted for' Gloucestershire County Council Department for Work and Pensions
Scotsman
13-06-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Who cares for the carers? Shocking pension gap leaves millions behind
As Scotland marks Carers Week, a stark new report reveals just how much unpaid carers are being left behind when it comes to saving for retirement — raising urgent calls for reform to close the growing pension gap. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... According to the 2025 Underpensioned Report, published by workplace pension provider now:pensions in collaboration with the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI), carers are retiring with less than half the private pension income of the average UK worker. The report highlights that the average private pension income for carers is now just 49% of the national average — down from 55% in 2020. This widening gap paints a bleak picture for the financial future of millions providing unpaid care. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Carers More Likely to Miss Out The 2021 Census recorded 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK One of the core issues is employment. Carers are significantly less likely to be in paid work — just 61% are employed, compared to 76% of the general workforce. For female carers, the disparity is even more pronounced: 38% work part-time, compared to just 29% of working women overall. Lower earnings and part-time roles mean many carers miss the threshold for automatic enrolment into a workplace pension. While 10.8% of the general workforce fall below the £10,000 earnings trigger for auto-enrolment, 13% of carers — and nearly 15% of women carers — are excluded. The figures are even starker for those in receipt of Carer's Allowance. According to Labour Force Survey data, only a quarter of these carers are eligible for auto-enrolment, leaving three in four with no access to workplace pension savings at all. Pay Gap Adds to Inequality The average income for carers stands at £35,248, below the national average of £38,740. But when broken down by gender, the gap widens: male carers earn £46,681 on average, while female carers take home just £28,176. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Samantha Gould, Head of PR and Campaigns at now:pensions and author of the report, said the numbers are a wake-up call: 'Carers provide essential support that many depend on every day, yet they remain systemically disadvantaged in their ability to save for later life. We urgently need pension reform that acknowledges and supports the vital unpaid work that carers do to help provide greater financial security in retirement.' A Call for Reform To tackle the disparity, now:pensions is calling for a series of policy reforms, including: A family carer's top-up, ensuring pension contributions continue during periods of unpaid care. Removal of the £10,000 earnings threshold for automatic pension enrolment. Scrapping the lower earnings limit, so that every pound earned counts towards pension savings. Carers UK: 'Time to Act' Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, described the findings as deeply concerning: "we know from our work with unpaid carers that they often work below their potential, take less senior roles or move into lower-paid jobs. Working part-time or leaving work completely can be catastrophic for their finances in the short term — and even worse for their pensions in the long run." Walker urged employers to adopt carer-friendly policies, such as flexible working, paid carer's leave, and better support systems to help carers remain in the workforce: 'with longer working lives and an ageing population, supporting unpaid carers in the workplace is becoming ever more important. Carers Week is the perfect moment to show that we care about equality.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Millions at Risk The 2021 Census recorded 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK, with 1.7 million providing more than 50 hours of care each week. While some progress has been made in employment rates since 2022, the pensions gap continues to grow — threatening the future financial security of a vital but too often invisible workforce. As calls grow louder for pension reform, one message is clear: carers need more than gratitude — they need policy changes that value their unpaid work and safeguard their futures.
Daily Record
13-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
People providing care for family or friends urged to check for £333 monthly payment
Carer Support Payment is only available to people living in Scotland. This Carers Week (June 9 - 15), unpaid carers across Scotland are being encouraged to find out if they are eligible for social security support - through Carer Support Payment, Carer's Allowance Supplement and Young Carer Grant. Carer's Allowance Supplement - a payment only available north of the border - was the first benefit delivered by Social Security Scotland in 2018 to provide extra financial support for carers, recognising their important contribution. Since the payment's introduction, unpaid carers in Scotland will be up to £4,475 better off by the end of 2025. The payment of £293.50 is issued twice each year with the first lump sum due to be issued to more than 90,000 carers on June 18 and 19. The payment is issued by Social Security Scotland to people who receive Carer Support Payment or Carer's Allowance on a specific date. Only carers in Scotland are eligible for the payment if they received Carer Support Payment or Carer's Allowance on April 14, 2025. It's important to be aware that the £293.50 Carer's Allowance Supplement is paid separately from any benefit payment from Social Security Scotland or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Carers eligible for the payment will receive a letter from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made, although this may arrive after the money has landed in accounts. The important thing to be aware of is that nobody needs to apply for the extra money as it is paid automatically to everyone who is eligible. On a visit to Midlothian Carers Centre to meet with parent carers of adults with additional support needs, Minister for Equalities, Kaukab Stewart, said: 'Social security in Scotland isn't about renaming benefits previously delivered by the UK Government. We are about delivering social security with dignity, fairness and respect, continually listening to what carers and support organisations have to say to help shape the changes we're making. 'We introduced Carer's Allowance Supplement and Young Carer Grant, which are only available in Scotland, and widened eligibility for Carer Support Payment to enable more carers in education to access it. We're also committed to introducing new extra support for carers who care for more than one person. Changes to help improve the lives of carers in Scotland. 'Social security is something anyone may need at any point in their life. It's a public service and I encourage all unpaid carers to find out if they are entitled to financial support and apply.' Carla Bennett, Carer Services Manager at VOCAL Midlothian added: 'Unpaid carers often face financial hardship, with many forced to give up paid work or reduce their hours to support those they care for. Caring for someone comes with additional costs too, such as transport, heating, equipment and food. These expenses, combined with reduced income, mean carers are more likely to experience poverty. 'Demand for VOCAL's income maximisation service has doubled in the past year, showing that carers are feeling the strain. Accessing financial and social security support can ease this burden and make a significant difference to the lives of carers and those they care for. We would encourage carers to find out what they might be eligible for.' Carer Support Payment Carer Support Payment is the devolved equivalent to Carer's Allowance and is worth £83.30 per week to people providing 35 hours of unpaid care to family, friends or neighbours in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit. The payment is typically issued every four weeks which amounts to £333.20. The weekly earnings threshold is £196 - equivalent to 16 hours at the National Minimum Wage. Am I eligible for Carer Support Payment? Carer Support Payment is money you can get if you provide care for someone and meet certain eligibility criteria. You must: be 16 or over usually live in Scotland provide care for 35 hours or more a week, this includes if you provide care all day every day not earn more than £196 a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses The person you care for must already get one of these benefits: Adult Disability Payment – daily living component Child Disability Payment – middle or highest rate care component Pension Age Disability Payment Attendance Allowance Personal Independence Payment – daily living component Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance - middle or highest rate care component Disability Living Allowance – middle or highest rate care component Constant Attendance Allowance at or above normal maximum rate with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension Armed Forces Independence Payment The type of care you provide To get Carer Support Payment, you must provide care for someone as an unpaid carer for 35 hours or more a week. It cannot be care you provide: as a professional care worker through a volunteering scheme or charity Even if you do not think of yourself as an unpaid carer, you might be eligible for Carer Support Payment. Examples of caring for someone include supporting them: with their mental health during an illness with a disability if they have an addiction Supporting someone with their mental health If you provide care for someone with a mental health condition, you might: comfort them during a panic attack stay close by so they do not feel alone support them through a crisis make sure they're safe keep them company Supporting someone with an illness or disability If you provide care for someone with an illness or disability, you might support them with: getting around getting dressed taking medicines using the shower or toilet cooking meals food shopping translating The person you provide care for You might provide care for: someone in your family a friend a neighbour You do not have to live with them or be related to them. You can only apply for Carer Support Payment for one person. If you provide care for more people, you are not entitled to extra payments. You can check if you are eligible for Carer Support Payment and find full details on the devolved benefit on the website here.
