TV presenter and former carer Fiona Phillips has joined forces with a Bolton MP to launch this year’s Carers Week.
Bolton West MP Julie Hilling is eager to recognise the contribution made by carers who provide unpaid care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled.
Research carried out in 2012 found that carers are at breaking point with 47 per cent of unpaid carers saying they were made ill by money worries and 45 per cent saying that caring had pushed them into debt Ms Hilling said: “I want to let carers know that there are services out there to help them.
“Caring can be so incredibly demanding.
It’s important that carers know that they don’t have to struggle on alone.”
Fiona Phillips, who has personal experience of being a carer, added: “I know caring can demand a lot of your time and attention, which in some cases can put pressure on other areas in your life such as financial responsibilities and relationships.”
Carers Week is organised by eight national charities: Age UK, Carers Trust, Carers UK, Independent Age, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, MS Society, and Parkinson’s UK.
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