Motion #11

New Deal For Carers

Synopsis

Carers save the UK economy billions a year, it’s about time they got a fair deal. This motion would specify what changes we would make to unpaid carers lives in the UK.

Motion

The Green Party believes that:

• Carers, including young carers, deserve a better deal from the government and that supporting carers of all ages is vital.
• To do this the current carers allowance payment needs to be increased to a living wage for the hours of care provided
• Carers should have the right to be compensated by government, supported in education and be provided with respite written into law

Conference instructs the Green Party to:

• Support the increase of Carers Allowance to a living wage for unpaid care provided, including by young carers, and supports an end to means testing and the removal of parts of the cared for persons welfare payments.
• Support a change in the eligibility for Carers Allowance, reducing the amount of hours of care required to from 35 to 20, and allowing any carer to claim carers allowance, regardless of employment, education or training status.
• Acknowledge that carers who are members of one or more marginalised groups are more likely to suffer social, economic and health effects due to their caring.
• To support a mandate in law that all schools must have a ‘Designated Young Carers Lead’ to provide support.
• Recognise the challenges carers of all ages face in regards to mental health and demand more frequent wellbeing appointments with Carers to check on their mental and physical health and more support for public sector organisations such as schools to signpost better mental health support for carers
• Recognise there is a lack of training around consulting and informing carers on patient care at all levels of the NHS and social care, and therefore support making funds available for mandated carers training in all patient-facing roles in the NHS and Social Care, including around Hospital Discharge and End-of-life care.
• Support the writing into law of a carers right to respite and short breaks from caring, such as those seen in the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, whilst insuring the cared for person will be looked after in their usual setting.
• Support the campaign by Carers UK to make Carer Status the 10th protected characteristic.

Background

The cost-of-living crisis is disproportionately affecting unpaid carers. Carers UK estimates that the number of unpaid carers has risen to 10.6 million, meaning 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 12 young people care for those around them. People of colour, disabled people, elderly people, women and LGBTIQA+ people who care are impacted worse financially and socially. Unpaid care is worth £156bn a year whilst austerity cuts to social care are massively affecting unpaid carers. To add insult to injury, Carers Allowance is means tested, is unavailable to under 16’s and those in full time education and is removed from the cared for persons welfare payments.

The Young Greens passed a similar motion at their 2023 Winter General Meeting, voting 23 in favour, 0 against, 2 abstentions.