Carers Week Quest reaches out to support the work of nation’s carers

The real number of unpaid carers across the country is underestimated by the general public, and few think they will have to take on a caring role at all in the future.

Only nine per cent of adults asked in a recent You GOV poll correctly put the number of unpaid carers in the UK at 6.5 million, with all other respondents underestimating how many people are currently providing care to their old, vulnerable or disabled family and friends.

Under a third of adults who do not currently care for someone thought it was likely they would become a carer in the future, despite predictions the number of people requiring extra care is set to rise to nine million by 2037.

Hundreds of organisations and individuals are taking part in Carers Week currently taking place by reaching out to carers at a local and national level to provide guidance and support in their caring role.

Speaking on behalf of the nine charities behind Carers Week 2014, Heléna Herklots, chief executive of Carers UK said:

"The reality is that all of us, at some point in our lives, will either be carers or need the help of carers. This survey is a wake-up call, clearly and alarmingly showing that as a society we need a much wider understanding of the realities of caring.”

“We need to understand what carers are doing day in and day out, the impact caring can have - and the difference we as individuals and organisations can make. That is why during Carers Week we are calling on the public and professionals across the UK to reach out to carers in their local communities.”