5 – 11 June 2023 - Recognising and supporting carers in the community

 

Carers Week logo

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.

 

  • Polls show nearly three quarters of people who currently provide unpaid care or have provided care in the past have never identified as or called themselves a carer
  • By not identifying as a carer, unpaid carers may be unaware of important practical and financial support available to them
  • Around one in two people have provided unpaid support or care at some point in their life.

The MND Association has branches and groups across England, Wales and Northern Ireland that can provide local support. Our Association visitors provide people living with and affected by MND with emotional support, information and signposting to further help. Our carer's and young carer's grants are provided to enable main unpaid carers to take a break from their caring duties however suits them, from pamper days to pursuing a hobby.

There are a wide variety of activities specifically for carers are taking place across the country during Carers Week – from fun days to carers rights online sessions.

Visit the Carers Week website for more information

Carers Week panel

The Association will also take part in Carers Week campaigning activities to push for better provision for carers. One event is a parliamentary drop-in on 7 June in Westminster. We will accompany carers as they represent the MND community and raise awareness with MPs of the challenges involved in caring for people with MND.

The charities that support Carers Week have sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister asking for him to publicly show commitment to carers by establishing a cross-Departmental Ministerial Working Group focussed on unpaid carers. If this ask is successful we believe such a group would help Government to coordinate its support for carers across various Government Departments.