New research suggests that young carers do an average of 25 hours of unpaid work per week, a figure which equates to £12,000 per year on an average part-time carer’s wage.
Children’s charity Action for Children conducted a survey of 383 young carers, finding that their unpaid care equated to approximately £240 per week.
Carol Iddon, deputy chief executive at Action for Children said, “Children cook, clean and care unpaid for family members with little recognition of the work they do or the proper support they need.
“Having regular breaks and fun activities through young carer respite services can be a lifeline for them – but services are patchy and there aren’t enough to support this hidden child workforce.
“We’re calling on the new government to make sure all young carers have access to these essential respite services. This would give these children the practical and emotional support they need to have a safe and happy childhood.”
According to the 2011 census there were 491,000 carers aged 24 or younger in the UK.
A spokesperson from the Department for Education said young carers “should be protected from excessive caring responsibilities”.
“We expect adult and children’s services to work together and take a whole family approach in identifying and supporting young carers.”
Sources: bbc.co.uk, 17 February 2020, ‘Young carers ‘average £12,000 of unpaid work a year’. Mirror.co.uk, 17 February 2020, ‘Young carers ‘doing £12,000 of unpaid work a year’, figures show’.