More than 14,000 residents on the Isle of Wight provide unpaid care for others, latest data released from the 2021 census reveals.
In 2021, the Census questionnaire – sent to all households – asked:
“Do you look after, or give any help or support to, anyone because they have long-term physical or mental health conditions or illnesses, or problems related to old age?”
People were asked to exclude anything they did as part of their paid employment.
The results
The results showed that of the 140,459 residents, a tenth (14,205) provided unpaid care for loved ones.
The table below shows the breakdown of categories.
| Category | Residents |
|---|---|
| Provides 9 hours or less unpaid care a week | 4,819 |
| Provides 10 to 19 hours unpaid care a week | 1,834 |
| Provides 20 to 34 hours unpaid care a week | 1,286 |
| Provides 35 to 49 hours unpaid care a week | 1,380 |
| Provides 50 or more hours unpaid care a week | 4,886 |
Lack of support for unpaid carers
Ten months ago, in March 2022, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer – missed opportunity to support unpaid carers.
At the time, Carers Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, Kirsty McHugh, said,
“Carers Trust research shows that unpaid carers are at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis. However, the Chancellor has again missed the opportunity to support unpaid carers, without whom our health and social care system would simply collapse.
“This is in sharp contrast to the Welsh and Scottish Governments who have recognised the importance of unpaid carers with the announcement of extra financial support.”
Unpaid carers using foodbanks
A survey in 2022 by the Carers’ Trust found that of those responding, 41 per cent of all unpaid carers have had to give up paid work altogether to provide the dedicated care at home that a sick or disabled relative needs.
Not only that but one in seven unpaid family carers are now using foodbanks as a result of soaring living costs.
Another survey by the Carers’ Trust found that more than 90 per cent of adult unpaid carers feel ignored by the Government.
Image: markus spiske under CC BY 2.0
