Leadership

Caring Behind Closed Doors

This report released from Carers UK shows the effect of the Coronavirus on people caring for those with disabilities. The survey of over 5,000 current and former carers revealed that 70% of unpaid carers are providing more care due to the coronavirus outbreak and over a third are providing more care as a result of local services reducing or closing.

The report revealed that 87% of carers are “worried about what will happen to the people I care for if I have to self-isolate or become ill”.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, carers across the UK were already providing substantial amounts of care, valued at £132 billion a year.1The increased pressures carers are currently facing means many have changed the amount and type of care they are providing.

The results show that on average, carers are providing 10 hours more care per week than they were before the coronavirus outbreak. The average figure is now 65 hours per week, compared to 55 hours before.

Looking at the reasons why more care is being provided in detail, over a third (35%) of people said they were providing more care as a result of local services reducing or closing. This figure rose to 39% in Scotland, 36% in Wales and 45% in Northern Ireland.

However, 9% of carers said they are providing less care for one or more reasons. 7% of carers are providing less care because they are following Government guidance and reducing their social contact. Those caring for a parent were most likely to have reduced the amount of care they are providing for this reason with 13% selecting this option.

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