There are around eight million people in Britain caring without pay.

We all know that there is a care crisis, and with increasing pressure family and friends are stepping in as unpaid carers.

It is estimated that there are around 8 million unpaid carers. According to the NHS  “over a third of all carers are working more than 100 hours a week”. It vital for the economy, but it is therefore not surprising that this puts a lot of pressure on these individuals and it has been stated that “more than 15 million working days” were lost in 2017/18 “due to stress, depression and anxiety”. 

There is no simple answer to solve the crisis, but this article states that technology could assist whilst we await the governments proposals. 

Technology is already being used by businesses, and has shown that transfer delays can be reduced and it can provide a support  network. It can also reduce the gap between care givers and seekers, reducing waiting times for individuals. Our carers, paid and unpaid, are vital to the ongoing care needs, and technology could make a difference to the system and save the NHS millions.

There are literally millions of unpaid carers – recent estimates show that there are around eight million people in Britain caring without pay. Many are under immense pressure. Over a third of all carers are working more than 100 hours a week, according to the NHS.

Poor mental and physical health is common, as is the financial impact of carers having to leave work. Informal carers’ contribution to the economy is equivalent to £140bn – nearly the same size as the NHS budget.

There are no easy answers to solving the problems that are rife in the care system. However, there are ways businesses can act to support Britain’s army of unpaid carers, and those in the formal care system, too.