Bexhill and Battle MP, Huw Merriman, attended a Carers Week event with carers and charities in Westminster, to celebrate and recognise the vital contribution made by those who care and support for family members or friends. Many carers are supporting those with disabilities, illnesses, mental health problems or those who need extra help as they grow older.

The event matched up MPs and carers to share experiences of caring and the support they need to take care of their own mental and physical health and well-being.  

Eight national charities have come together to call for urgent support for unpaid carers to be Healthy and Connected as new research released at the start of Carers Week reveals the toll that caring can take on many carers’ own health and wellbeing.

Huw said “It was great to spend ninety minutes in Parliament with representatives of the many organisations who work so hard to support carers in the constituency. These organisations had come together in Parliament to explain the current challenges for carers and to lobby MPs to do more. I spent my time with the teams from Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Carers UK. The carers from these organisations described the difficulties which they have to overcome in order to provide care for their loved ones and to get on with their own lives. This was another reminder, as we all agreed, that the care system in our country is in need of reform. I remain wedded to the view that we need a cross-party consensus on social care reform, with a mixture of additional funds, organisational reform and more contributions from the estates of those who have needed support. 

“A couple of weeks ago I also met with a number of local carers at a Carers’ Foum organized by the excellent local charity Care for the Carers which took place at Bexhill College. It is always extremely helpful to talk directly to unpaid carers and related support organisations to understand the issues and challenges they face on a daily basis. I look forward to working with the Carers Week charities, and Care for the Carers in East Sussex, as I continue with my efforts in Parliament to push for reform of the social care system which is currently causing such funding challenges for the people and organisations who rely on it.”

Carers Week 2018 is made possible by Carers UK joining forces with Age UK, Carers Trust, Independent Age, Macmillan Cancer Support, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, MS Society and Which? Elderly Care and kindly supported by Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition.