17 June, 2020 Open access
17 June, 2020 Open access
New research shows that almost 230,000 unpaid carers have had someone in their household go hungry during coronavirus pandemic
Carers UK has called on the government to increase carer's allowance by £20 per week to match the rise in universal credit introduced in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a new report, Caring and COVID-19: Hunger and mental wellbeing, Carers UK looks at the use of foodbanks and experience of hunger in the households of people providing unpaid care to someone living outside their own household during the full ‘lockdown’ stage of the UK Government response to COVID-19. Of the 6 million adults in this situation, the analysis shows that -
Calling on the UK Government to immediately increase the basic level of carer’s allowance, and provide a one-off coronavirus supplement of £20 per week to match the rise in universal credit, Chief Executive of Carers UK Helen Walker said -
'This pandemic is pushing unpaid carers to breaking point physically and mentally. The fact that carers are also twice as likely as the average person to be relying on foodbanks demonstrates just how difficult life is for them right now. It is simply unacceptable that carers are having to go hungry because they do not have support.
Surely, when the majority of carers are providing even more care for relatives during this pandemic, and spending more to do so, they deserve some help? The Government must acknowledge the impact the pandemic is having on carers’ finances and job prospects and raise carer’s allowance as a matter of urgency.'
NB - the Scottish Government has previously confirmed that a one-off carer's allowance supplement of £230.10 will be paid in respect of the period from April to September 2020.
For more information see Unpaid carers twice as likely to have used a food bank during pandemic from carersuk.org
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