Barbara is backing Labour’s pledge to give more support to unpaid family carers. Barbara has campaigned in Parliament for years for Government to give greater support to carers. A key policy Barbara wanted to see was for a duty to be placed on GPs, NHS Hospitals and others to identify carers so that they can then be offered advice and support. She introduced a Private Member’s Bill to do this in 2012 but the Conservative-led Government did not support it.

Now Labour has committed that a future Labour Government would place this duty to identify carers on NHS bodies. Other measures that Labour would introduce include: a right for carers to ask for an annual health check; the introduction of a single point of contact for NHS and care services for carers of those with complex needs; ring-fenced funding for carers breaks; making carers eligible for hospital parking concessions and a review of how to improve flexibility for working carers.

Barbara has also campaigned for carers to be exempted from the Bedroom Tax, which affects 60,000 unpaid family carers. Labour has pledged to abolish the Bedroom Tax.

Barbara said:

“These measures show that a future Labour Government is committed to supporting carers. More than 20,000 people in Salford are unpaid family carers and they already face a host of financial, emotional and practical challenges due to their caring. Since 2010, the Conservative-led Government has failed to recognise the needs of carers. Central Government cuts have led to £100 million being cut from Salford Council’s budgets overall and affecting adult social care.

In Salford this means 1,000 fewer people will have care packages this year, putting additional strain on unpaid family carers. The Government’s policies have failed to treat carers with the dignity and respect they deserve. They introduced the unfair Bedroom Tax and failed to exempt carers from it, placing added financial burden on them.”

“I am pleased that a future Labour Government would ensure that we give carers more of the support that they need and deserve.”