A letter has called for greater support for unpaid carers, warning that many face intense pressure while providing care that saves the state billions of pounds.
The letter says unpaid carers may give up careers and sacrifice income, while often feeling overwhelmed and unsupported. It states that 41% of parent-carers have contemplated suicide.
Training for professionals
The letter refers to a report on Matilda Davis’s death, which described a person under immense pressure leaving a meeting with social workers feeling distressed. It says the professionals involved had received no suicide-prevention training.
Andy Burnham supports mandatory suicide-prevention training for social workers, according to the letter. The proposed training may help professionals identify people in crisis, although the letter does not establish how effective such a policy would be.
Pressure on unpaid carers
The letter says campaigning by Ed Davey and an investigation by the Guardian into the carer’s allowance scandal have highlighted the extent to which unpaid carers have been failed by the state.
It calls on the government to provide practical, emotional and financial support for unpaid carers. The central argument is that support should address both the material costs of caring and the emotional strain that can accompany it.
The claims are presented in a letter and include an attributed figure about parent-carers’ experiences. They underline the importance of recognising distress among people providing unpaid care, while leaving questions about the scope and evidence behind the figure for further examination.
Key takeaways
- The letter says 41% of parent-carers have contemplated suicide.
- It says unpaid carers often give up careers, sacrifice income and feel overwhelmed or unsupported.
- The letter reports that professionals involved in a case concerning Matilda Davis had received no suicide-prevention training.
- Andy Burnham supports mandatory suicide-prevention training for social workers, according to the letter . [sic]
What this means
Unpaid carers can face substantial financial and emotional pressure while supporting relatives or others. The letter draws attention to the need for public services to recognise that strain and to provide practical, emotional and financial support, alongside better preparation for professionals who may encounter people in crisis.
What the evidence cannot tell us
- The fact sheet does not provide the methodology, sample or original source for the 41% figure.
- The claims come from a letter; the fact sheet does not provide independent verification of all its assertions.
- The fact sheet does not specify the year for 21 October.
- The letter says training may help professionals identify people in crisis, but does not provide evidence of its effectiveness.
AI tools were used to assist with the preparation of this article under our editorial standards.
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