Carers Week 2017 - Pledge your support now

Carers Week is all about raising awareness and showing appreciation to the unpaid carers across the United Kingdom. It is estimated that carers contribute £132 billion in unpaid care work to the economy each year - this is enough to fund a second NHS. When you consider a figure that large, it’s easy to see how important carers are to both our economy and culture. Unfortunately, there are many carers across the country not getting the support they deserve, and many of them don’t even realize there is support available.

Many unpaid carers have to compromise their own lifestyles in order to provide care for a loved one. It is common for people to quit their jobs and provide care full time, meaning their own personal finances struggle while they balance money between themselves and the person they are caring for. What makes this even more disheartening is the lack funding and support for carers, and shows little sign of improving in the future.

Sadly, three in four carers feel as though their caring role is not understood or valued by their local community, which is why this year's Carers Week theme is about creating care friendly communities that understand the role of a carer. The more we educate the larger community on the struggles of care workers, the more understanding there will be for those that care for those in need.

You can pledge your support and find out more about Carers Week on their website.