Welsh Labour’s Member of the Senedd for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Dawn Bowden MS, has welcomed a new £7m package of support for unpaid carers, in recognition of the vital support they provide to the people they care for.
The new support package will:
- Allocate £5.5 million to local authorities to provide targeted support to unpaid carers;
- £1.25m for the Carers Support Fund – last year, this fund successfully helped almost 6500 unpaid carers to cope with the financial impact of Covid 19;
- £20,000 to fund online mental wellbeing support sessions; and
- £230,000 for the Family Fund to support over 600 further low-income families with seriously ill or disabled children.
The Welsh Government previously committed £3 million in 2021-22 to allow more carers to take a break from their caring role, bringing the total additional funding support for unpaid carers this year to £10 million.
Welcoming the fund, Dawn Bowden MS said:
“The funding announced last week demonstrates how much the Welsh Labour Government appreciates and values the incredible work of unpaid carers in Wales who go above and beyond to care for family or friends.
“The pandemic has had a massive impact on the lives of carers due to increased social exclusion, reduced access to services and the inability to juggle work, care and financial commitments. It’s vital that we continue offering help and support to our unpaid carers in dealing with the emotional and financial implications of COVID-19.”