CARERS living on the breadline are being financially penalised for taking on important roles that are collectively saving the UK billions of pounds, says the director of a Bradford district-wide charity.

Chris Whiley, the director of Carers’ Resource, was responding to a new report out this week that revealed around the country there are 1.2 million poverty-stricken people providing unpaid care to loved ones.

The New Policy Institute, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, found one in five informal carers of working-age are in poverty, but this rises to 37 per cent for people providing 20 hours of care or more each week.

Ms Wiley said: "Caring for a loved one can dramatically and negatively impact on people’s lives, health and finances. We see many carers who struggle to juggle work and caring, with many having to give up employment or reduce their hours.

"Most caring situations do start suddenly, as a result of an accident, or a diagnosis or a condition, such as a stroke.

"The person who takes on the carer role, usually a close family member, has to adjust quickly and there are often financial implications.

"Their finances become one of the many new challenges they have to face, whether it’s finding out about grants or benefits available, or trying to cope on a lower income, and with so many other issues being thrown at them it can quickly spiral into a very difficult situation. Many struggle to cope and make ends meet and it can end up in financial hardship.

"Caring can be demanding, relentless and exhausting. It is also isolating and can cause depression. Most people want to be able to be the carer for their mum, husband, child, or whoever –-but it shouldn’t be that they are financially penalised or live on the breadline for carrying out an important role which is collectively saving the country billions of pounds."

Ms Wiley said Carers’ Resource - the integrated carers’ service for Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven - had worked with businesses and was keen to see more work being done with employers to support and keep carers in their workforce.

"If carers are provided with flexibility within their job this helps them to continue to earn, gives them a break from their caring as well as boosting their self esteem. It also has benefits for the employer as the carer feels valued and supported," she said.