Heidi Allen MP is encouraging the 11,100 unpaid carers in South Cambridgeshire to find out about their rights as part of national Carers Rights Day, a campaign led by Carers UK urging people caring for older, ill or disabled loved ones to find out about the financial and practical support they are entitled to.
Each year 3640 people take up a caring role in South Cambridgeshire yet Carers UK’s research shows that many take years to recognise their caring role and miss out on support as a result.
There are around 6.5 million unpaid carers across the UK who provide care and support to family, friends and neighbours, saving the country an estimated £132 billion each year.
Heidi Allen MP said: “Carers make a huge contribution to their family, friends and neighbours around the UK, especially here in South Cambridgeshire, but too often they are unaware of the support they are entitled to. We must all come together to support unpaid carers get the right information and the correct support that they deserve. Our county council, GP’s, hospitals, charities and communities all have an important role to play and it is vital that we support each other”
Carers UK Chief Executive Heléna Herklots said: “We know getting the right information at the right time can make a big difference to carers’ lives. Carers Rights Day is about ensuring that carers don’t miss out on the financial, practical and emotional support they are entitled to, as well as recognising the huge contribution to our society that carers make.”
Carers Rights Day 2016 is on Friday 25 November, for more information about Carers UK’s Carers Rights Day campaign go to www.carersuk.org/carersrightsday
For more information and advice about caring, go to www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice
To join in the conversation on Twitter, please tweet using the hashtag: #CarersRightsDay