Unpaid Carers Stage First Protest From Home, Streamed On Screens Outside Parliament
As MPs head off on their summer recess, and school holidays begin, exhausted unpaid carers from across the country have come together to fight for their right to respite care, in a first-of-its-kind protest outside Parliament.
With more than two fifths of unpaid carers (44%) currently accessing no UK Government support to respite care – some time off which could be anything from a few hours’ break to taking a holiday – this cohort of forgotten key workers have been left with no choice but to stage a protest from their homes, while simultaneously caring for their loved ones.
Holding placards from their kitchens and living rooms that reveal what they’d do if they were able to take some much-needed time off, their rallying cries are being streamed on huge LED screens outside government buildings.
The protest comes as a new study of 250 unpaid carers in England reveals that almost 1 in 3 (29%) rarely take a respite break, with 1 in 7 (15%) admitting they never take a break from their care duties. This lack of downtime leaves unpaid carers reporting feelings of burnout (60%), frustration (47%) and depression (27%).
With a staggering six million Brits reported to be providing unpaid care to family and friends around the clock, the research also found the average time taken away from caring by unpaid carers each day is just 54 minutes, which equates to only 13 days in a year – nine days less than the legal requirement for paid workers in England who are working eight hours a day, five days a week.
As a result of their need to care around the clock, more than half (57%) of unpaid carers surveyed rarely socialise with friends or family, whilst 67% say planning a holiday feels like a pipe dream. In fact, whilst the average Brit takes 3.94 holidays a year, nearly a third (31%) of carers say they’ve not had a holiday in more than four years.
The initiative has been created by Uncommon Creative Studio, and is backed by leading charity Carers Trust. Also supporting the campaign is actor and ambassador for Carers Trust Greg Wise, who has had firsthand experience as a former live-in carer for his sister Clare.
“I know from my own experience just how tough life can be for carers,” says Greg, “and that’s why this protest is so important. Carers need to be seen and heard, yet the UK Government continues to stay silent when it comes to social care reform. That has to change.”
Kirsty McHugh, CEO of Carers Trust, comments:
“It’s incredibly disappointing that the UK Government still hasn’t given unpaid carers a right to respite. For decades, successive governments have depended on unpaid carers to provide social care on the cheap, which has delayed the need to come up with long-term funding and support. Whilst the Government is focused on strengthening employment rights, it seems to have forgotten unpaid carers – who can’t take a break at all.’
