Carers are losing £11,000 a year, warns campaign group

The losses are incurred through having to give up their job, reduce their hours or take a more junior position to care for sick, frail or disabled relatives or partners.

These new statistics, published by Carers UK, are in a report called Out Of Pocket and reveal the full extent of the financial loss that carers face, particularly older carers of working age and those caring for more than 50 hours a week.

However, financial compensation through carer's allowance '“ provided a carer is eligible by earning under 95 a week '“ is just 48.65 a week.

Currently, around one in five carers have to give up work to care. Nearly 45 per cent say they would like to work but more than a third say they cannot do so without the right support services.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette December 19