Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western pledges to recognise and champion carers for this Carers Week

Carers Week, from yesterday (Monday June 8) to Sunday June 14 is an annual awareness week which recognises the vital contribution made by people caring unpaid for family members or friends who are older, disabled or seriously ill.

New research released for Carers Week shows that an additional 4.5 million people in the UK have started caring for someone who is older, disabled or living with a physical or mental illness since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Western said: “If this crisis has told us anything it’s that we should never take our brilliant carers for granted.

"Instead, they should be properly protected and rightly rewarded.

“Carers in the NHS, care homes and elsewhere undertake exceptional work all year round, and many have gone above and beyond their call of duty to care for others during this challenging time, and I would like to pay tribute to them.

"However, unpaid carers simply do not get enough visibility for their selfless work. Now that another 4.5 million have stepped up during this pandemic, they must finally be given the recognition they deserve.

“Hopefully many residents will have seen my work in advocating for carers during this pandemic, where I have been calling out the Government’s failures in truly protecting them and those they care for.

"I’ll continue to champion carers by calling for sufficient access to good PPE and pressing for weekly testing during this pandemic, and to lobby for fair pay to reflect the work that they do.

“I look forward to recognising excellence in caring in the local community later on in the year as I host the constituency’s first MP awards for ‘community excellence’.”

The six charities driving the awareness week are calling on individuals, organisations and services in local communities to help get unpaid carers connected to practical and financial support they need.

So often, carers put their own needs behind those they care for.

On behalf of the Carers Week charities Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said: “This year it is more important than ever to raise the profile of caring and recognise the enormous contribution made by unpaid carers, who throughout the Covid-19 outbreak have played an essential role supporting friends and family who are older, disabled or seriously ill.

“Looking after someone can be a hugely rewarding experience, but it sometimes comes with difficulties, including getting the right support.

"This Carers Week all parts of the community – family and friends, employers, businesses, schools, health and care services – can do their bit to make caring visible and recognise carers’ contribution to society.”