Unpaid carers cost economy £5.3bn

Carers who give up work to look after others cost England's economy about £5.3bn a year, the charity Age UK says. It says an unfit care system means people often have to give up work to help the elderly or adult disabled. The figure was calculated on the lost earnings and forgone taxes of more than 300,000 unpaid carers. The government says its long-awaited white paper on social care is "imminent" and will include funding changes to "transform care".
Michelle Mitchell, charity director general of Age UK said: "For many people, caring for a loved one is second nature and they wouldn't have it any other way.  "But carers should never be forced to sacrifice their own financial security and wellbeing due to the lack of service provision and support from public services.