CARERS WEEK 2015

That this House notes that there are 6.5 million unpaid carers across the UK and 6,000 people take on new caring responsibilities every day; gives its full support to Carers Week which falls on 8 to 14 June 2015; further notes that this is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, and to highlight the challenges that carers face and the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK; further notes that this year the campaign is focusing on building Care Friendly Communities, which are communities supporting carers to look after their loved ones while recognising that carers are individuals with their own needs too; also notes that three in five people will be carers in their lifetime and that there will be nine million carers in the UK by 2037; is concerned that full-time carers are twice as likely to be in bad health as non-carers, 54 per cent of carers are struggling to pay household bills and 60 per cent struggle to maintain friendships; further notes that the cost to the economy of carers having to give up work is £5.3 billion and six in 10 carers have reached breaking point, with a quarter requiring medical treatment; commends the supporters and sponsors of Carers Week, including Age UK, Carers Trust, Carers UK, Independent Age, Macmillan Cancer Support and MS Society; and calls on the Government to support Carers Week, work with the above organisations to build Care Friendly Communities and give the country's 6.5 million carers the support they deserve and desperately need.