Background Information
Carers UK is a charity set up to help the millions of people who care for family or
friends.
We provide information and advice about caring alongside practical and
emotional support. Carers UK also campaigns to make life better for carers and
influences policy makers, employers and service providers, to help them improve
carers' lives.
ABOUT CARING
At some point in our lives every one of us will be involved in looking after an older
relative, a sick friend or a disabled family member. Six million people in the UK
are caring right now but whilst caring is part and parcel of life, without the right
support the personal costs can be high.
Caring can take its toll on your finances, your health, your career and your family
and social life. Carers can fall out of paid work and many rely on low-level
benefits, forcing them into poverty.
Yet without unpaid care our NHS would collapse and the country would face an
£119 billion care bill it cannot afford. Carers are contributing so much to their
communities by looking after the people they love, yet in return they face
ignorance, isolation and little or no support. This has to stop. It cannot be fair that
those who contribute so much are valued so little. Carers UK wants society to
respect, value and support carers.
ABOUT CARERS UK
Our roots go back to 1965 when we were set up by a group of carers who
wanted to ensure no one should go through caring alone. To this day Carers UK
is a membership organisation with carers at the heart of everything we do. Our
members elect our Trustees, a majority of whom must have recent caring
experience. Our members also shape our campaigns and services through
regular surveys and conversations about what issues matter most to them.
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We provide expert advice and information to carers and those people working
with carers through our website, publications, and our national telephone
Adviceline. We enable carers to connect with each other to help break the
isolation felt by many – delivering peer support online 24/7 on our forum, over
the phone or through our branch and volunteer network.
We have a proud track record of successful campaigning to make life better for
carers, winning the first ever rights such as benefits for carers, assessment of
needs and flexible working. We believe that progress comes through
partnerships so we work with local authorities, health, voluntary organisations
and employers to ensure hard won policy changes are translated into action that
makes a real difference to carers’ lives. Our structure with Carers Northern
Ireland, Carers Scotland and Carers Wales means we are able to respond to
diverging policy arising through devolution.
Despite caring being commonplace, public understanding of “carers” as an issue
is low. Our media success has improved recognition of caring and Carers UK.
We were chosen by ITV two years running as one of six charities to benefit from
Text Santa Christmas Appeals in 2011 and 2012.
We are finalising a new business plan so we are well equipped to face the
challenges and opportunities over the next three years.
We have about 70 staff, most of whom are based in our London office, situated a
few minutes’ walk from London Bridge. We also have offices in Cardiff, Glasgow,
Belfast and Manchester.
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