11,357

of 20,000 signatures

To Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

I am an unpaid carer for my mother who is disabled and in cognitive decline. I can see she is going to need far more care soon.
I work part-time and cannot afford to live on the benefits on offer so I am always exhausted.

Money is needed to look after her extra needs, the car, our home, just like anyone else. Family support isn't always an option for many people like me. The value of unpaid carers’ support is now worth a staggering £162 billion a year - now our unpaid labour needs to be recognised through a fair living wage.

Petition text

Across the UK,  5.7 million people provide unpaid care for a family member, friend, or neighbour who is affected by long-term illness, disability, or old age. Unpaid carers need to be paid a fair amount and supported so they don't over work themselves causing exhaustion, injury and illness which will have more of a toll on the public purse in the long run. Make unpaid carers paid carers.

We need to increase the earnings allowance to be eligible for Carer’s Allowance and the rate of carers allowance, which would benefit millions eligible unpaid carers in England and Wales.

18 Oct 2024
Over 10,000 people agree unpaid carers deserve more.

3 Oct 2024
Keep sharing and we will keep trying.

4 May 2024
Thank you for continuing to support this petition

23 Nov 2022
Thank you!
A dedicated petition writer would probably encourage you all more to sign and share and I really appreciate all you have done so far. Please could you do more? I, and so many like me, am so tired. I need time to be a carer, she is up at night and whilst I was working yesterday, I later discovered, my diabetic mother ate almost all a chocolate cake. She barely sleeps at night and some sleep might be helpful for me too. If you can help it would mean so much to people like me. Thank you.

29 Oct 2022
Your support means such a lot, thank you.
Thank you everyone for so much support and for sharing some of your personal stories of being an unpaid carer, which are touching and everyone should read them. I realise some people see the word 'carer' and assume it is about a low paid but worthwhile job but no, this is about the people who you will rarely see because they are at home looking after someone they love so much, their own life is put on hold. Can you help them? Please share the petition.

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Unpaid carers should be paid a fair living wage!

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