THE GOVERNMENT has announced a £600 million package to help with recruitment and retention in social care, a move that has been welcomed by John Stevenson, the MP for Carlisle.

The fund aims to support the social care workforce and boost capacity in social care, thereby supporting the NHS ahead of winter and into the next year.

The funds are intended to improve recruitment and retention, boost workforce capacity, and ensure a sustainable social care workforce for the future.

“I am pleased to welcome this timely announcement by the Government. There are hundreds of care workers working across Carlisle and it is absolutely right that we recognise the work they do," John said. 

"This funding will help tackle additional inflationary costs and demand pressures which are impacting social care services this year and next.

"Split over two years, the funding will also help some of the financial and workforce pressures over the next 18 months giving some stability to the sector.”

Despite the financial boost to the sector, census data continues to lay bare the number of people in Carlisle - from teens to people in their 90s - working long hours as a carer for no payment.

Figures from the 2021 census show that there are 2,700 people in Carlisle working 50 hours or more every week as an unpaid carer.

 

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows a total of 9,221 people in Carlisle were looking after someone without being paid when the census was carried out in March 2021 – amounting to 8.6 per cent of the city's population.

Of those working 50 or more hours a week in Carlisle, 20 were children of school age (between ages 5 and 17) - ten boys and ten girls. 

A total 225 school age children were performing some form of unpaid duties of care. 

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said the social care system would "collapse" without the work of unpaid carers.

"It is vital that the Government recognises the pressing needs of this huge swathe of people and develops a funded National Carers Strategy for England," she said. 

Earlier this year, a spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care said: "For unpaid carers, we are also providing local areas with over £290 million in funding for short breaks and respite services, as well as additional advice and support."