Unpaid labour carried out by Scotland’s carers is estimated to have saved the Scottish economy £15.9bn in 2022/23 – four times more than the total government spend on adult social care services.

Census analysis carried out by Carers Scotland and the Centre for Care shows that the economic contribution of unpaid carers has increased by 19.4% since 2011.

This has been driven by an increase in both the number of carers and the intensity of care they provide.

The almost £16bn of equivalent support carried out by Scotland’s 627,000 unpaid carers is not only more than the government’s budget for adult social care services, but is comparable to the £17.8bn spent on Scotland’s NHS.

A report published by the organisations today is calling for the Scottish government to properly support the “backbone” of the health and care system, by addressing social care underfunding, increasing financial support for carers and promoting a carer friendly NHS.

Lead researcher, Professor Matt Bennett, Centre for Care at the University of Birmingham, said the analysis “paints a stark picture” of the savings unpaid carers make to health and care budgets:

“Without unpaid carers, our health and social care systems would collapse.    

“In fact, our work not only shows that the number of carers has increased, but that they are also providing more hours of unpaid care than ever before.

“We hope policymakers see the urgent need to act to support unpaid carers.”

The report says placing a new responsibility on the NHS to identify and promote the health and wellbeing of carers could help them live well and continue to care for longer.

It also recommends the NHS takes caregiving responsibilities into account when prioritising patients for more urgent treatment appointments, and that those waiting for treatment are supported financially to stay healthy.

The UK government announced it intends to raise the earnings limit on Carer’s Allowance from April 2025, to the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage.

This could see tens of thousands more carers qualify for the benefit, who will be able to earn an extra £2,340 a year.

However, it is unclear whether this will apply to the newly devolved Carer Support Payment which Scotland’s carers receive instead.

Carers Scotland has since written to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice to seek assurances that this will apply to the newly devolved Carer Support Payment which Scotland’s carers receive instead.

healthandcare.scot has asked the Scottish government for comment.

The new report recommends that the Scottish government go a step and increase the earnings limit for the devolved payment to at least 21 hours a week at the National Living Wage.

Richard Meade, Director of Carers Scotland, says the “staggering” levels of support provided by unpaid carers much more to support and value them:

“The reality is that, despite this enormous contribution, too many unpaid carers face a cost to their financial security, health and career.

“Asking unpaid carers to make such a significant contribution to our society without providing the right support to help them in their caring role is both unjust and unfair.

“We must do much more to support our unpaid carers to ensure they have a good quality of life alongside their caring role.”

 

Read more: Number of carers grows by more than 25%; Reframing how we value carers;

 

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