Campaigners have delivered a red box to the chancellor, containing stories from disabled people, older adults, and unpaid carers.
Image: the red box from the CSA
Most of the time, government announcements fail to provide concrete support for social care. To ensure that doesn’t happen in this year’s Budget, members of the Care and Support Alliance (CSA) have today delivered a red box to Rachel Reeves, containing stories from some of society’s most vulnerable.
Vic, an unpaid carer who attended the hand-in, described the daily challenges faced by families providing care.
‘I’ve been a carer for more than 20 years, supporting both my wife and my son while working full-time. My day doesn’t end when my shift does – I care before work, after work and through the night,’ Vic explained. ‘Like so many families, we just keep going because there’s no real safety net. What we need is proper funding for social care so that people like my son can live safely and reach their potential, and carers like me can get the breaks and support we need to stay well.
‘Caring shouldn’t mean losing your health, your income, or your hope. We need a system that truly shares the responsibility, not one that leaves families to shoulder it alone.’
With the Autumn Budget due in less than 24 hours, the CSA emphasised the only ‘figures’ that matter are the disabled people, unpaid carers and families who can’t wait any longer for action.
What’s more, the group warned growing demand from an ageing population, more people with disabilities and increasingly complex needs is shrinking council budgets and stretching services to their limits.
Against this backdrop, Age UK estimates two million people aged 65 and over have unmet care needs, while up to 1.5 million disabled adults eligible for support are not receiving it. There are 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK, with 1.2 million living in poverty and 400,000 in deep poverty.
Image: members of the CSA delivering the red box to Rachel Reeves at 11 Downing Street
‘Today’s red box carries the real figures the chancellor must consider,’ Emily Holzhausen CBE, director of policy & public affairs at Carers UK and co-chair of the CSA, said. ‘Social care is not a luxury – it’s essential for millions of families across the country and yet, far too many people are going without, bearing the cost of successive governments’ inaction.
‘Investment in social care is not only about compassion but also about strengthening the NHS, the economy, and community. The chancellor must deliver the funding needed right here, right now.’
Some of the recommendations from the CSA include, ensuring fair pay and working conditions for care staff and guaranteeing that everyone who needs care and support can access it, regardless of where they live.
Images: CSA
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