YouGov poll ranks carers alongside nurses and firefighters

Carers Week research highlights carers at breaking point

A survey conducted by YouGov questioned over 2,000 members of the public about their beliefs and attitudes towards carers.

The key finding was that the public rank carers alongside the emergency services in terms of their contribution to society. Six out of seven people (86%) believe that carers make a valuable contribution, behind only nurses (91%) and firefighters (90%).

The overwhelming majority also agree that carers’ benefits are far too low, with over three-quarters (76%) stating that the current level of Carers’ Allowance is unreasonable.

But when asked to estimate the number of carers in the UK, 8 out of 10 were unable to pick the correct figure of 6 million, with almost three-quarters (71%) underestimating by over 4.5 million.

Meanwhile a Carers Week survey highlighted the shocking number of carers who have been pushed to extreme levels of stress and depression as a result of caring.

The results also revealed that carers feel they go unrecognised or ignored by different groups in society, and this has a significant negative impact on their lives.

Large numbers of carers say they have been pushed to extreme levels of stress and depression as a result of caring. Almost three-quarters (74%) of carers say that they feel that they have reached breaking point.

Over a third (41%) of carers stated that ‘frustration with bureaucracy’ pushed them to breaking point, often the complex and lengthy procedures for welfare benefits, healthcare and social services. Other factors include a deterioration in the health of the person being cared for, lack of sleep and financial worries.

For most carers, ‘practical support’ would – or did – make the difference when they were at breaking point, with ‘just having someone to talk to’ a close second. Nearly a third (31%) say that more money would make a difference – hardly surprising given that Carers Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind at just £53.10 per week.

A massive 8 out of 10 carers feel that their role is overlooked or ignored by professionals, who include GPs, social workers and hospital staff. Three-quarters of all carers also feel that their role is unrecognised by family members and friends. Almost two-thirds (63%) of carers say that their lives are made ‘much more difficult’ as a result of being overlooked or ignored.

More than half (54%) say that being overlooked has affected their health and a slightly higher number (55%) say that it has left them worse off financially. The ten charities who organise Carers Week are calling on the Government to do more to support carers, along with other organisations such as the NHS, improve carers' lives.

Fieldwork for the YouGov survey was undertaken between 5–7 May 2009. The survey was carried out online. Total sample size was 2,109 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

1,941 carers took part in the Carers Week survey, both online and by post, which was carried out between 22 January–25 March 2009.