In a report released yesterday, Carers Scotland has found that unpaid carers are “spiralling into poverty” due to the cost-of-living crisis forcing many to cut back on both food and heating to make ends meet.

Following a survey conducted by the national charity, Carers Scotland are calling on Scottish and UK governments to take action to prevent carers “falling into poverty and ill health”.

In the ‘State of Caring 2022’ report, Carers Scotland detailed the detrimental impact of the cost-of-living crisis on carers in Scotland – with one in four carers in Scotland reporting cutting back on food and heat.

The number of carers cutting back on essentials has almost doubled in the past year, rising from 22% in 2021 to around 40% today. Carers Scotland’s Director, Richard Meade said the charity is deeply worried about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on unpaid carers:

“Carers in State of Caring 2022 told us they’re facing impossible choices – to heat or to eat, to borrow or fall into arrears and debt– with little hope of increased incomes because the demands of their caring role make paid work or extra hours an impossibility.”

With 2,044 current carers living in Scotland responding to the survey, 91% reported spending more on energy and heating. Over a third reported spending 20% or more of their income on energy and one in five in the lowest income households in Scotland are spending more 50% or more of their income on energy.

Fuel poverty risks

The survey indicates that 35% of Scotland’s carers are living in fuel poverty – where their heating costs exceed 10% of their net income or remaining income cannot sustain an acceptable living standard. Of those responding, 16% have been even more significantly impacted and now spend around a third or more of their income on energy.

In April 2022, Carolynne Hunter, an unpaid for her daughter Freya who lives with severe complex health needs and disabilities, was already struggling to pay her energy bills. She told healthandcare.scot that future increases in her bills, with so much of the equipment Freya needs to survive powered by electricity, could result in the family being forced to move her into a care home.

Despite the number of carers cutting back on essentials, some costs associated with caring cannot be reduced. One carer told Carers Scotland that they are very worried about gas and electricity costs with the need to charge supportive equipment:

“[An] adult child is ventilated overnight, and we also charge an electric chair every night and hoisting requires to be permanently plugged in. How can we possibly cut back on any of these things? Also, very worried about electricity blackouts when the equipment required is lifesaving.”

Carers Scotland is urging the Scottish government to introduce dedicated financial support for energy costs for those households with a severely disabled person, echoing Inclusion Scotland’s calls earlier this month for more targeted financial support for disabled people this winter.

Almost 40% of carers who responded to the survey said that they are struggling to make ends meet said that they cannot afford essential costs, with 8 in 10 worried about whether they can manage in the future.

Government action

This comes almost five months after a Scottish government survey found that almost a third of 130,352 carers did not feel supported to continue caring. This report also identified a rise in unpaid care, which now makes up almost half of the total care given in Scotland to support people’s independent living.

Kevin Stewart, the Minister for Social Care, previously told healthandcare.scot that government recognises the “enormous role played by unpaid carers” and continues to invest in support, including £20.4m to local support in 2022-23 for the Carers Act. He said that £4m was also announced in January to help organisations supporting unpaid carers this winter.

Carers Scotland’s is urging both the Scottish and UK governments to uprate benefits in line with inflation and provide top up payments to carers. While welcoming the previous uprating of some devolved benefits by 6% earlier this year, the charity highlights that inflation continues to rise and says, “we do not believe vulnerable people on low incomes can wait until April”.

The charity says the cost of not acting will “leave more carers in poor health, financially insecure and continuing to face unacceptable choices” and there is a high risk of both carers and care breaking down.

With inflation at its highest level in over four decades, Carers Scotland describes a “particularly troubling” picture for those on Carers’ Allowance or living on low household incomes.

In the survey, 52% of carers in Scotland are earning well below the average gross monthly household income of £2,100 per month and 1 in 7 live on £1000 or less. Moreover, nearly two thirds of carers said the cost-of-living crisis worries have negatively impacted their physical and mental health.

Mr Meade added that direct support is needed to prevent further worsening conditions across Scotland’s carers and those they care for:

“Without help, carers health, wellbeing and financial security will continue to deteriorate, especially over winter. Carers need urgent action from both governments now.”

Among the recommendations, the Scottish government is asked to commit to developing a National Carer Poverty Action Plan – recognising that carer poverty is not new but has been “exacerbated considerably” by the current crisis – with clear, measurable actions.

Read more: Insight: Carers in need as fuel poverty hits; Social deprivation and frailty; Cost of living ‘catastrophic’ for disabled people

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You can listen to our April 2022 Equally Valued podcast episode on fuel poverty here.