New report by VOCAL highlights the growing cost of unpaid caring across Edinburgh and the Lothians

VOCAL, the Scottish Eurocarers’ member supporting carers in Edinburgh and Midlothian, has released a report on the increased financial pressures facing carers, and the need for greater support.

Unpaid carers are often managing higher household costs, cutting back on paid work, and spending more on fuel, transport, food and equipment. For many, the cost-of-living crisis comes on top of the cost of caring, creating intense pressure on family finances and wellbeing.

VOCAL brought carers, staff, and partner organisations together at a Carers Week event to explore the causes of carer poverty and the changes needed locally and nationally. The discussions at the event focussed on several key drivers of hardship, including loss of income for working carers, long waiting lists for services, social care charges, and legal costs such as Power of Attorney. You can read more about these issues in VOCAL’s report, The cost of unpaid caring.

The report calls for practical action from the Scottish government, including:

• Increased social security support for carers nationally
• Power of Attorney costs to be covered for carers
• An end to unfair social care charging
• Encouraging all employers to improve their carer policies, advocate for better social care services, and offer paid carer’s leave
• Carers Act Funding to be allocated to crisis-prevention.

You can download and share the full report here (PDF).