National Carers Week

For a number of years, my father cared for his partner Rose who had Alzheimer's disease. Eventually, she had to be placed in a home. In recent times, my mother is doing a fair bit each day for my step-father who's not in the best of health.

This week, is National Carers Week. Here are some little known facts:

There are almost six million carers in the UK

East 520,209 East Midlands 435,741

London 609,890 North East 276,593

North West 724,802 Northern Ireland 185,066

Scotland 481,579 South East 737,751

South West 495,442 Yorkshire & The Humber 518,211

Wales 340,745 West Midlands 558,421

2 One in ten adults in the UK is a carer

3 3 million people juggle work with caring responsibilities for a disabled, ill or frail relative or friend

4 The main carers benefit is Carers Allowance - is £48.65

for a minimum of 35 hours, equivalent to £1.39 per hour

5 People providing high levels of care are twice as likely to

be permanently sick or disabled

6 Every year 2 million people take on new caring

responsibilities

7 1.25 million people provide over 50 hours a week on their caring responsibilities

8 58% of carers are women, 42% are men

9 1.3 million carers are over the age of 65

10 27% of carers questioned said they had been offered a

health check; 88% believed that carers should receive

annual health checks

11 Carers save the country / Government £57 billion each

year yet the decision to care can mean a commitment to

future poverty. Many give up an income, future

employment prospects and pension rights to become a

carer.