Did you know that around 6.5 million people in the UK are carers, looking after a parent, partner, child or friend? It becomes an absolutely massive commitment on the part of the carer – as they are not paid for looking after a loved one.
And although caring for someone definitely has its rewards, there can be an impact on the well being of the carer. Carers Week (11-17 June) aims to raise awareness on the role of carers in the community and ensure their own health and well being needs are supported.
More than 7 in 10 (74%) of the UK public feel carers are not sufficiently valued by society for the support they provide and this figure rises to just over eight in ten (83%) of those who have previous experience of caring themselves. The unpaid care provided by the UK’s carers has been estimated to be worth £132 billion a year.
During National Carers Week (11 to 17 June) we want to highlight the challenges faced by the 32,256 residents in the borough who care for loved ones, and focus on helping them to be healthy and connected.
To support awareness of carers, Barnet Council are having an open day on Tuesday 12 June – Carers Week Open Day, 9.45am to 1.30pm at St Paul’s, Finchley.
Find out more about the resources available to support carers in Barnet on the council’s carers website pages.