More than 41,000 unpaid carers go under the radar

More than 41,000 people in Liverpool may be providing unpaid care for loved ones in Liverpool without any help, the city's council has said.

The authority said in the last 12 months it had assisted about 2,600 people who were looking after someone without any financial support.

But it said the 2021 census suggested there were more than 44,000 in the city who reported they were providing such care.

A report to go before Liverpool City Council next week said "carers can be eligible for support, even if the person they care for has refused support or is not eligible".

About a third of unpaid carers across the country were found to be in "bad or very bad" mental health, according to a Carers UK survey in 2023.

It found 80% of carers were stressed or anxious, and about a half felt lonely or depressed.

The majority were also worried that increased living costs were going to make their unpaid caring role more difficult.

Of the carers known to the council, 70% are female, half are over 65, about 10% are from ethnic minority communities, and about 5% under 25.

City leaders are now setting up a partnership aimed specifically at helping people who provide unpaid care, and they want carers to be part of it.

"The council has overall responsibility for overseeing the delivery of the strategy, but it requires the support of carers and key stakeholders to ensure its success," the report said.

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