Despite repeated requests from Carers and caring organisations across the UK, we were very disappointed to see that additional support for unpaid Carers was not included in yesterday’s budget statement.  The requested supplement to the Carer’s Allowance and additional funding for health and social care services were noticeably absent and will mean continuing financial hardship for unpaid Carers. We will continue to support Carers UK in their #fairerforcarers campaign, pushing for these much needed changes.  Click here to read more from Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK.

As of today (Monday 15^th February), unpaid carers in England are included in the next phase of the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine and will begin to be called forward for their first jab.

NHS England has written to GP practices and Primary Care Networks asking them to start focusing on the vaccination of priority group 5 and 6 including unpaid carers.  

Eligible carers will be contacted via the National Booking System to receive an invitation to book their vaccination. The GP guidance also states that local areas can flex these arrangements to administer the vaccine to carers directly.

Carers UK looks forward to seeing the publication of NHS England’s Standing Operating Procedure, due to be published next week, which will detail exactly how eligible carers will be identified and contacted for their jabs.

You can see Carers UK’s press release in full here.

If you aren’t already registered with your GP as an unpaid carer, we try and work with you and your surgery to try to put this in place for you.  Contact us on 01642 488977 or via our contact form.

Carers UK are calling on the Government to urgently act to address the financial hardship that many unpaid carers face due to their caring responsibilities.

To support carers through the COVID-19 pandemic, Carers UK are calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, to award a £20 a week supplement to carers entitled to Carer’s Allowance, helping carers manage both the higher costs of caring and the lack of services available to help them stay in work.

This would match the increases awarded to those on Universal Credit. Currently, over 480,000 carers with an entitlement to Carer’s Allowance have each lost out on close to £1000 of support since April 2020, compared to those on Universal Credit.

On Wednesday 3 February 2021 they delivered a letter signed by 5062 people to the Chancellor, calling on him to put in place more support for carers, including addressing the financial hardship carers are facing and introducing a £20 a week supplement for people entitled to Carer’s Allowance. You can read the letter here.

You can show your support by retweeting Carers UK’ Tweet or by sending your own Tweet or Facebook post to the Chancellor, using @rishisunak and #FairerForCarers.

On 30^th December 2020, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published updated advice which recommends that carers who are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, or who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer contracted COVID-19, should be included in Priority 6.

Carers UK has been campaigning for unpaid carers to be included in the priority lists for the COVID-19 vaccine in the same way that they are for the flu jab. We warmly welcomed their inclusion and the alignment with the COVID-19 Green Book on vaccination information for health professionals.

You can access the briefing here.