NOTE: Under embargo until Tuesday 00:01 on Tuesday 21 September
Support from unpaid carers ‘overlooked' and ‘undervalued' suggests new analysis
Study finds the support delivered by unpaid carers of adults with learning disabilities equivalent to annual averagesaving to taxpayer of £114,000 per carer
September 21 2021
The support given by unpaid carers to adults with learning disabilities risks being ‘overlooked and undervalued' according to a new report on the value of unpaid care.
The independent analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde, found that on average, the support delivered by each unpaid carer in the sample saved the taxpayer £114,000 per year. This compares to an annual carers allowance of around £4,000 a year, which includes a Scottish supplement.
More than half of the unpaid carers sampled who provided information to the survey were below or close to the poverty line due to constraints on their ability to work.
Reported wellbeing was also much lower than the national average. This was particularly notable for measures of loneliness and burnout. 72% of people reported feeling lonely, compared to only around 20% for the Scottish population as a whole[i].
When asked for their priorities for better support, the vast majority asked for more respite and services for the person they care for.
The total hours of unpaid care ranged from eight to 16 hours for those living with the person they cared for, including care through the night.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, unpaid carers have filled in the gaps left by the care system, leaving many exhausted, but none of the unpaid carers in the sample have seen support return to pre-pandemic levels.
Even where the adult with learning disability lived in supported accommodation, unpaid carers provided up to 8.5 hours of unpaid care a day to ensure safety and wellbeing.
Knowledge Exchange Fellow Emma Congreve, who leads the Institute's work on poverty, inequality and inclusive growth, said: "The support provided by unpaid carers clearly has value in that it enriches the lives of loved ones and ensures their safety. But because it doesn't result in the transfer of money, it's not recorded anywhere financially, nor are the carers deemed active in the labour market, meaning their contribution can be overlooked and undervalued.
"The true value of the care can't be reduced to a financial sum of money but by demonstrating the economic value of unpaid care means we can illustrate the cost savings to the public purse and put the work, which is often done with very little recognition, into context.
"Unpaid carers face an uncertain future post-COVID, and overwhelmingly we heard that unpaid carers need more support."
The report is the latest in a programme of work by the FAI into how adults with learning difficulties are looked after in Scotland.
Whilst not representative of all unpaid carers who look after adults with learning difficulties, the report provides an insight into the circumstances of unpaid carers and their value.
CASE HISTORY
Wendy Smith from Invergordon in Easter Ross provides full time care for her 20-year-old son Callum, who has a learning disability and complex support needs. She says that the lack of support available for unpaid carers means she has no time to herself, is unable to work and feels ignored by the very system that is supposed to help her.
Wendy, who moved from England around two years ago, said: "People find it hard to believe but I'm literally there for my son 24/7. If I had a break, I honestly wouldn't know what to do because it's become a way of life. I'd love to just go for a coffee with a friend, but I haven't done that for three or four years.
"When I have challenged this injustice it is met by indifference and unpaid carers find the system impenetrable. The legislation like the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 is very aspirational, however in practice the health and social care system delivers a very different experience.
"Callum had to finish his education early in February 2020 because of COVID and since then there's been absolutely nothing. I've been waiting now for an operation for about eight years which I've had to delay because I've had no care package in place.
"I'm not able to go to the doctor or dentist. Individually adult care sector professionals are generally good, but the system itself needs a better structure in place, it's very antiquated.
"My son has very complex needs and it's a huge challenge."
Ends
Notes to Editor:
[i] Scottish Health Survey "5% of adults felt that they were lonely ‘often' or ‘all of the time' and 15% reported that they felt lonely ‘some of the time', while the majority of adults reported that they had ‘rarely' or ‘never' felt lonely in the two weeks prior to being interviewed (81%)."
Attachments:
i. Learning disabilities and the value of unpaid care report
ii.One page report summary
iii. An animation is also available for use to highlight the report findings
A photo of Wendy Smith and her son Callum is available:https://wetransfer.com/downloads/31ed8dab9383c9b69a228676d3e64da220210920151552/cffb0d31602e282845d69546e98ac8f020210920151623/f9536c?utm_campaign=WT_email_tracking&utm_content=general&utm_medium=download_button&utm_source=notify_recipient_email
For more information please contact Lynn McPherson at the University of Strathclyde E. lynn.mcpherson100@strath.ac.uk T. 0141 548 4941