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1 in 9 people in Kent are Carers. Many combine their caring responsibilities with education, part-time or full-time work.
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A Carer is someone who looks after a relative or friend who due to physical or mental illness, age-related difficulties, disability or an addiction, cannot manage without their support.
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Carers are all ages and from all walks of life.
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Every day, 6000 people become Carers in the UK.
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At least 1 in 9 of the workforce (3 million) are also Carers.
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Carers are unpaid and are not the same as paid care workers.
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3 in 5 of us will become a Carer at some point in our lives.
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Carers that look after someone for more than 35 hours a week can apply for a benefit called Carer’s Allowance. At its current rate it’s just £1.92/hr.
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40% Carers have not had a day off in more than a year and 25% for more than 5 years. 64% Carers have not been able to take any breaks during the pandemic
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28% Carers say they are struggling to make ends meet.
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Being a Carer can be a positive experience but it can also be challenging and exhausting.
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Carers provide a valuable and often invisible role in society.
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Many Carers find they don’t have the time to look after their own health or social needs because of the amount of time they spend caring.
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Carers over 18 who look after someone over 18 are legally entitled to a Carer’s Needs Assessment to help them identify and access the support they need.
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Carers have a legal right to unpaid leave without this affecting their employment
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Carers have a legal right not to be discriminated against by association with the person they care for (e.g if the person they care for is disabled)
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Employed Carers have a legal right to ask for flexible working.
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Carers save the economy £132 billion per year, an average of £19,336 per Carer
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72% of Carers said they had suffered mental ill health and 61% suffered physical ill health as a result of caring.
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8 in 10 Carers say they have felt lonely or socially isolated.