How do we care for unpaid carers?
7.8 per cent of Londoners provide unpaid care, defined as giving any help or support to anyone because they have long-term health conditions, or problems related to old age.1
Long periods of care make it difficult for carers to stay in employment, with 40 per cent of carers nationally giving up work to care, and 22 per cent reducing their working hours.2
The two main support mechanisms for carers are benefits, such as Carer’s Allowance (CA), and Respite Care through a carer’s local authority. However, benefits are not always sufficient as 62 per cent of people in receipt of CA live in poverty.3
The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee will meet tomorrow to understand the experiences and challenges of unpaid carers in London, and how providing unpaid care affects people’s wellbeing, as well as their personal finances, education and employment prospects.
The guests are:
Panel 1 (14:00-15:30):
- Nadia Taylor, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Carers Network
- John Perryman, Head of Policy, Carers UK
- Rohati Chapman, Executive Director for Programmes, Policy and Impact, Carers Trust
- Allegra Lynch, Chief Executive, Camden Carers
Panel 2 (15:35-16:30):
- Steve Shaffelburg, Senior Commissioning Manager, Prevention and Wellbeing – Universal Services, Richmond and Wandsworth Better Service Partnership
The meeting will take place on Wednesday 10 December 2025 from 2pm in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
Follow us @LondonAssembly.
Notes to editors
- Census 2021, Unpaid care by age, sex and deprivation, England and Wales: Census 2021,13 February 2023
- Carers UK, Carers’ employment rights today, tomorrow and in the future, November 2023 (p.8)
- Carers UK, Poverty and financial hardship of unpaid carers in the UK, September 2024 (p.5)
- Hina Bokhari OBE AM, Chair of the Economy, Culture and Skills Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Economy, Culture and Skills Committee.
- Read the agenda in full.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more information, please contact Tony Smyth in the Assembly Media Office on 07763 251727 or [email protected]. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.