A recent survey of 2,709 UK adults has examined the relationship between the cost of living crisis and the mental health of carers. The survey was conducted by Surewise, one of the UK’s leading providers of insurance for carers and personal assistants.
Key findings:
. Mental health provision for carers is lacking. 73.2% of carers feel that being a carer has had a negative impact on their mental health at times.
. Carers are hit hard by the cost of living crisis. 74.6% of carers strongly agree or agree that the cost of living crisis has had a negative impact on their mental health
. Money worries are a frequent theme. 69.8% of carers are not confident that they will be able to manage financially in the next year
. Basic necessities are top on the list of financial cutbacks for carers. 65% of carers are cutting back on daily essentials such as food in response to the cost of living crisis, with 32% cutting into their savings.
“Research prior to the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the lack of mental health provision for carers, and this study is demonstrating once again the urgent need for increased support for this sector,” comments Stuart Bensusan, Director of Surewise.
“Despite the hard work and sacrifice carers, both paid and unpaid, make every single day, it’s also clear that there is a fundamental failure to provide financial support for those working in this sector.
Carers are already facing an increased burden of responsibility for the people they care for, with many unpaid carers reducing their income in order to do so. That the vast majority of carers are not sure how they will get through the next year is something that urgently needs to be addressed.”
65% of carers cutting back on essential spending
The survey revealed that 65% of carers are cutting back on essential items, such as food and heating, in response to the cost of living crisis. Over a quarter or carers surveyed are borrowing or using credit – 16.4% are using credit cards in response to the cost of living crisis, while 11.4% have been forced to borrow money from family or friends.
The majority (47.3%) of carers surveyed felt that increased carers benefits was the number one thing that needs to be done to better support carers in the UK. Interesting, despite three-quarters of carers agreeing that their mental health has been negatively impacted, just 11.9% felt they needed more support for mental health.
About Surewise
Surewise is a specialist provider for carers insurance and other insurance products, including mobility scooter insurance and home insurance. Launched in 2014, Surewise aims to always provide affordable, high-quality insurance that ultimately gives customers the peace of mind that they’re covered against life’s unexpected risks.
