Why unpaid carers deserve recognition, too

Before setting up Ambiance Care, our Founder Diane had already learned the skills necessary for supporting someone living with dementia. As a caregiver for her mum, Diane dedicated years of her life to making sure her mother received the care she needed to live comfortably at home for as long as she could.

As happy as she was to do this, Diane’s life changed considerably during her time spent as an unpaid carer. Leaving work, sacrificing her social life and putting self-care to the back of her mind, Diane experienced what many of the families we work with go through when caring for their loved ones: isolation, exhaustion, and a lack of both support and recognition.

For unpaid carers, the mental load and physical toll can be completely draining. Having firsthand experience of unpaid caring is exactly why we’re getting onboard with this year’s Carers Week theme of equality.

The impact of unpaid caring

Carers Week, which takes place every June, is a prime time to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by those in unpaid caring roles and call for meaningful change. Carers Week 2025 focuses on highlighting the inequalities faced by unpaid carers, including a greater risk of poverty and missed opportunities in their education, careers and personal lives.

Earlier this month, Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “Caring for a loved one should never be a reason for facing inequality, but sadly this is a reality for many in the UK. Unpaid carers are desperate for a break, for better health and social care provision, financial support and equality in the workplace. Over half say they need better understanding and recognition from the public.”

Research released during Carers Week shows that an estimated 12 million people in the UK are unpaid carers currently – that’s more than a sixth of the population, while about 25 million people have provided unpaid care at some point in their lives.

The Caring About Equality report assesses the health and wellbeing impact of caring on both current and former carers, finding that 43% overall experienced a worsening of their mental or physical health conditions since taking on their caring responsibilities. The figure is even higher – 48% – for current carers.

Campaigning for change

Dealing with families at breaking point every day means we see the impact of unpaid caring up close, and it’s why we want to add our voices to those of Carers UK and other organisations calling for change.

“Carers Week 2025 is a crucial opportunity to increase awareness, highlighting those who provide vital care to family members, friends or neighbours when they need it most,” Helen says. “We want to see a future where they have the right support and the same opportunities to lead healthy and financially secure lives alongside their caring role.”

The government simply must address the inequalities that carers currently face. Engaging with caregivers and stakeholders, and taking their experiences and insights into account, should lead to the creation of a new National Carers Strategy – one that’s backed by investment and that sets out clear actions to help lighten the load and reduce inequality for unpaid carers.

Diane adds: “Don’t forget that as a carer, you are never alone. We have walked your path, which is why we built Ambiance Care: to provide personalised, effective support for people with memory loss while easing the load on families and friends.”

Reach out to us anytime for support and advice – call us on 0161 537 0983 or email us on enquiries@ambiancecare.co.uk.