Unpaid carers share their experiences with BBC North West
Gaddum invited unpaid carers from across Salford and Manchester to meet at Ordsall Hall, to share the commitments they want to see from the government to better support unpaid carers, ahead of the Autumn Budget which is due to be published in late October 2026.
Carers took part in a creative workshop and spoke directly with journalist Annabel Tiffin from the BBC about the challenges they face and the changes they want to see.
You can watch the BBC North West footage here
Read the BBC News online article here
Ben Whalley, Gaddum CEO, said,
“Unpaid carers are the hidden workforce of this country. Their contribution is extraordinary, providing care worth an estimated £184 billion every year – almost equivalent to the cost of funding the entire NHS.
Yet behind these staggering figures are real people, many of whom are facing unprecedented pressures, often at enormous personal, emotional and financial cost.
Day in, day out, Gaddum and other carers’ organisations support people who are already at breaking point. We cannot continue to take unpaid carers for granted and expect this system to remain sustainable. When carers reach crisis point, the consequences are felt not only by them and their families, but across our already stretched health and social care services.
We need to move beyond simply recognising the contribution of unpaid carers to genuinely valuing, investing in and supporting them. Not just when they reach burnout, but long before.”
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all the carers who took part and shared their experiences so openly.
We’ll continue creating opportunities for carers to be heard, raising awareness of unpaid caring and helping to ensure lived experience is part of the conversations that affect carers’ lives.
For any media enquiries or opportunities, please email Hannah Burns, Marketing & Communications Lead at Gaddum: hannah.burns@gaddum.org.uk
