Carers health

The DH estimates that as many as 5.8 million people in England and Wales care for someone close to them. However, caring for a loved one can take a severe toll on someone's life. For example, those providing high levels of care are twice as likely to be disabled in later life, and it is thought that as many as 625,000 people have health problems caused by their role as a carer. As a result of this, the government has provided funding to support carers to have the best possible health and quality of life. For example, the RCN and the QNI were given funding to train community and school nurses to help them identify carers and signpost them to the right support if it is needed. Additionally, since 2011, £400 million has been invested in the NHS to allow carers to have time away from their responsibilities. Carers have also been given a legal right to seek support in England, and there are plans to simplify the assessment for carers when they are applying for support.