23/10/2026
A message from Carers Northumberland:
Carers Rights Day 2026:
Thursday 19th November 2026 – Someone you know is a carer – but do they know it yet?
Carers Rights Day is a national event where we’re coming together to help people recognise sooner that they are a carer and encourage them to learn more about their rights.
For many people, it can take years before they realise that they’re a carer. Often, they simply see what they do as part of being someone’s partner, parent, family member, friend or neighbour, missing out on the support and rights available to them.
Knowing you’re an unpaid carer is the first step to knowing your rights and getting the support you are entitled to.
Every day in the UK, 12,000 people become unpaid carers for a partner, family member or a friend – many of whom don’t see themselves as carers, often unaware of their legal rights and what they’re entitled to in terms of support and benefits.
The economic value of unpaid care is now £184 billion a year, roughly equivalent to Government spending on the NHS.
The 2021 census estimated that there are just over 31,000 unpaid carers living in Northumberland, although the real figure is likely to be higher.
Carers Northumberland are passionate about supporting and empowering unpaid carers across Northumberland.
As a carer, knowing your rights helps you to feel confident asking for what you need, as well as challenging things when your rights are not being met – whether that be in the workplace or education, in accessing health or social care, or when interacting with other professionals or at home.
Caring costs in so many ways. It could be the cost to an unpaid carers’ wellbeing and ability to access health services. Sometimes it’s the financial costs associated with looking after someone or the effects on carers’ employment options. Unpaid carers in the UK are also facing unprecedented financial difficulties because of the current cost of living crisis too. It is now more important than ever that unpaid carers understand their rights, know what support is available, and where to access it.
Carers UK published the results of their 2025 State of Caring Survey based on the responses of 10,539 unpaid carers. This survey found that carers are struggling even more with their finances. A higher proportion of carers said they are struggling to make ends meet, and carers who are already struggling with the high cost of living, are being further impoverished by having their ability to earn restricted by the rules governing the claiming of Carer’s Allowance.
The difficulties carers are facing include:
Research found that 1.2 million unpaid carers live in poverty, and 400,000 live in deep poverty in the UK. (commissioned by Carers UK and conducted by WPI Economics)
The Census also shows nearly 3 million people in the UK are balancing unpaid care with paid employment with 1 in 5 people in the workplace providing unpaid care, and an estimated 1,500 people leave employment to provide care every day. (polling by Opinium for Carers UK)
The most recent Carers UK State of Caring Report noted that 1 in 4 cares report not being in good health with 42% of carers saying their physical health has suffered because of caring and three quarters (74%) of carers said they had felt stressed or anxious.
This Carers Rights Day we want to:
Inform carers of their rights.
Ensure carers know how and where to access information, advice, and support.
Raise awareness of the needs of carers.
You can help by talking to friends, family and neighbours about caring, to championing better carer identification in your workplaces and services, we can all help people to recognise someone’s caring role sooner.
Debra Blakey CEO for Carers Northumberland said:
“Having a caring responsibility shouldn’t mean that you no longer have choices. Carers have rights in the workplace, as well as having the right to decide what level of care they are comfortable providing without external support.
Carers need to be fully supported if they are they are to continue caring effectively. We want carers to know they are being listened to and that they have rights which should be respected and addressed appropriately.
Carers Northumberland are here to offer support, information, advice, and practical help to ensure carers are receiving everything that they are entitled to and how to access additional financial support.”
We will be hosting a free event that carers and their supporters can attend.
Join us for an opportunity to speak to other organisations in Northumberland who can support and empower carers on Thursday 19th November from 1.30 – 4pm at Blyth Sports Centre, Bolam Avenue, Blyth NE24 5BT
Call 01670 320025 or visit www.carersnorthumberland.org.uk/news-and-events/
For more information about the event or to register with Carers Northumberland, contact our information Line on 01670 320025, by emailing [email protected] or visiting our website at www.carersnorthumberland.org.uk.
Take a look at our upcoming events, workshops and groups. You can also download a copy of our latest newsletter on this page.
