Council meeting: 26 November 2025
Unpaid carers
This Council notes that:
- Nationally, nearly six million people act as unpaid carers for their loved ones
- While many are able to take paid employment around their caring responsibilities, many are not: it depends on the level and frequency of the care provided
- The National Unpaid Carers Union and Forum estimates that the care provided by family members and friends saves the UK economy £164 billion each year – a figure that is expected to rise
- Many of those providing unpaid care are themselves elderly or very young.
This Council believes that:
- A huge debt of gratitude is owed to those providing unpaid care
- Carers can suffer financially, mentally and physically due to the nature of the help they provide
- While unpaid carers do not seek financial advantage from providing care, nor should they be financially disadvantaged
- Any withdrawal of the support provided by unpaid carers would have significant detrimental implications for the NHS and adult social care providers, such as this Council.
This Council therefore resolves to:
- Support the calls by The National Unpaid Carers Union and Forum for the government to review its policies around Universal Credit and Carer’s Allowance with a view to better helping unpaid carers financially
- Call upon individual councillors to support this campaign
- Contact the borough’s two members of parliament, seeking their support for this campaign
- Contact the relevant government department directly, expressing its support for a review of Universal Credit and Carer’s Allowance, as outlined above
- Support and promote Young Carers Action Days
- Request that the Adults, Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board, and the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Board consider undertaking, within this municipal year, a review of the support provided to carers by this Council with a view to suggesting what improvements could be made.