Breaks are one of the main things carers say they desperately need. Caring is hard work, and for many people it can be 24/7, often on top of other responsibilities or a carer's own health concerns.
The rising cost of living has taken its toll on carers. It costs money to take on a caring role — carers often find they're spending more on transport, heating, laundry, and refreshments while waiting around at hospitals, and even taking a holiday means less choice and more cost when accommodating special requirements. It costs carers in so many ways, financially and personally, and for some it becomes too difficult to balance work and caring at all. And yet carers save the NHS £132 billion each year.
When you can't safely leave your loved one, it costs money to take a break too — the cost of replacement care, and then the cost of whatever you want to do with that break, whether it's an activity or travel. But it's easy to see how it's money well spent. Not only does a carer have a right to a life of their own, but a bit of time away helps keep carers physically and mentally well — which is vital, because if they're unwell, they won't be able to carry on caring.
That's why at Crossroads Care Kent, we believe carers' breaks should be free. It's the least a carer should be offered in terms of support, if their caring role means it's needed. Funding for replacement care should be available so carers can take that much-needed break — even if it's just going to the supermarket.
For many years, Kent County Council has agreed with us that carers shouldn't have to pay for their breaks or jump through hoops to get them — and that seems only right. Imagine the situation: you're a carer, you're exhausted, and probably not very well off financially because of everything that comes with being a carer — you really need a break.
Carers' breaks need to be free, and the route to a break needs to be straightforward. It doesn't make sense to put up hoops and hurdles — it's cheaper just to give carers the breaks.
— Irene Jeffrey