One in four councils join tech initiative to help carers
Nine local authorities across Cheshire and Merseyside have become the latest to join a digital programme created by Mobilise, which has supported one million carers.
Mobilise is an organisation that was founded by James Baldwin and Susanne Bourne in 2019, to ensure that people who step into a caring role, don’t have to figure everything out on their own. The company’s latest move was creating an online hub, which can be accessed on their website or the app store, that offers help to carers. Since its creation it’s gained the support of 35% of councils in England – equating to one in four.
Nine local authorities spanning across Cheshire and Merseyside are the most recent recruits to join the scheme – the areas are home to a vast amount of the UK’s unpaid carers, with more than one in ten residents living in St Helens, Knowsley and Halton.
Since being able to access the programme, Sheila Walsh, a carer based in St Helens, explains it’s the most reassured she’s felt since taking on a caring role.
‘It’s reassuring to know that my experience as an ‘unofficial’ carer for my husband is valued, and that there is support and advice available from Mobilise if and when I need it,’ Sheila said.
Cheshire and Merseyside councils follow 13 local authorities in the Northeast who joined the same initiative earlier this year through a similar collaboration. This move saw over a quarter of a million carers living in the Northeast alone gain access to digital support.
To give context, figures from the Office for National Statistics show the Northeast is home to the largest proportion of people supporting relatives or loved ones in any region across the UK.
Support offered through Mobilises’ online hub includes:
- A digital peer community of thousands of fellow carers from across the UK
- Self-service tools detailing the support some carers may be eligible for – including the Carer’s Allowance
- Support guides outlining everything from how to balance caring with full-time work, to managing personal health
- Information on carers’ rights and relevant social care law in line with the latest government guidance
Susanne Bourne, co-founder and head of carer support at Mobilise, said: ‘As carers, it can sometimes be difficult for us to know when, or how, to reach out for support. Many of us don’t even realise that we are ‘caring’ by looking after our loved ones, or that there is support out there that can help us protect our own wellbeing as we navigate the responsibilities that come with caregiving.
‘I’m thrilled that Mobilise is partnering with so many local authorities to help provide this vital support and community for more unpaid carers.’
Councillor, Jill Rhodes, chair of adults and health committee at Cheshire East Council, added: ‘By joining this initiative, we’re taking a significant step towards recognising and supporting the invaluable contribution of our local carers. The Mobilise digital tool will empower unpaid carers to access the help they need, when they need it.’
News of support growing for carers has come as the UK government has recently announced plans to invest £22.6bn into innovative projects across the country that pledge to support unpaid carers as well as people with unmet care needs.
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