Social security benefits

The special carer grant has so far failed to live up to expectations, especially in targeting ethnic minority carers. David Hepworth outlines what more needs to be done to help these 'hidden carers'. 

It is estimated that around 6 million adults in Britain are providing unpaid care to a sick, disabled or elderly person. The challenges of combining paid work and informal care affect the type of work that can be done, the hours of work, and the likelihood of gaining or remaining in employment. The main aims of this research were to examine what employment supports are needed for carers currently in work or those who are currently caring or have recently ended a spell of caring and want to return to paid employment.

This report presents findings of a questionnaire-based survey of the financial position of carers in the UK conducted by the Carers National Association (CNA), the starting point of which was that government carers strategies published recently for England and Scotland have omitted to address carers' financial problems. The survey suggested that a large proportion of carers providing substantial care are faced with financial hardship.

There are six million unpaid carers in the UK who look after relatives, friends, children or older people who are sick or disabled. The number of carers is growing and the Department for Work and Pensions (the Department) estimates that the number of carers it supports will increase by about a quarter by 2014-15. The nature of care obligations varies. Care may be provided throughout life, during a chronic condition, over distinct periods, or towards the end of a person’s life. Appendix One provides examples of caring responsibilities from our survey of carers.