52,000 Shropshire people provide unpaid care
More than 52,000 people in Shropshire are providing unpaid care to their relatives in Shropshire, new figures revealed today.
The number has shot up by 14 per cent in the past decade, and experts say it will continue to rise as people live longer. The figure shows how many people are giving up their time to provide free care to disabled, sick or elderly relatives in the county, up from 45,000 in 2001.
The figures have been revealed in the information collected in the 2011 census, with the county’s number of carers increasing faster than the national average.
There are 34,260 carers in the wider Shropshire area, with an additional 17,944 in Telford & Wrekin.
There has also been a 32 per cent increase in the number of people across Shropshire providing more than 50 hours of care per week, with more than 12,300 people in this position at the date of the 2011 census.
Census data released by the Government reveals that the number of carers increased from 5.2 million to 5.8 million in England and Wales between 2001 and 2011, an 11 per cent rise.
It follows recent research from Carers UK which estimated the care provided by friends and family to ill, frail or disabled relatives saved the Government almost £120 billion a year.
The organisation has also calculated the numbers of carers in the UK will increase by a further 60 per cent in the next 30 years due to an ageing population.
Diane Cuff, head of family carers and community wellbeing at Shropshire RCC, said: “The 52,000 unpaid family carers in Shropshire who look after their loved ones contribute a huge amount to the economy and save the NHS and social services around £119 billion each and every year.”
The main carers’ benefit, Carer’s Allowance, is £58.45 for a minimum of 35 hours – equivalent to £1.67 an hour. It is received by 600,000 people across the country.
