The life and times of an unpaid carer.

From April, 2025, the dominant UK media storyline about disability was driven by government benefit and budget changes (coverage of PIP/Universal Credit reforms, SEND funding and budget measures). That policy focus produced wide public debate and a surge of both critical reporting and alarmist / stigmatising language in some outlets and broadcasts, and strong pushback…

Unpaid and Young carers in Wales have a number of statutory rights under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, many of which are set out in the Charter for Unpaid Carers.   Key rights include: Where Welsh Government and Local Authorities Need to Do Better Despite these rights, there are important gaps between policy and reality. Some of…

Most people know what a “carer” is. Fewer people realise that in Britain today, tens of thousands of those carers are children and teenagers. A young carer is anyone under 18 who helps look after a parent, sibling, or relative who can’t manage daily life without support — perhaps because of illness, disability, addiction, or a…

When we talk about “the workforce” in the UK – most people think of employees, employers, tax, payroll, and monthly salaries. But there is a second workforce. A workforce without job contracts, without HR departments, without sick pay, without pension contributions, without training budgets. Unpaid carers. And what they contribute is not just noble, not…

Being a carer is often described as an act of love — and it is. But what people rarely talk about is how complicated that love can become when you’re also disabled yourself. When you’re trying to pour from an empty cup, it’s not just exhausting — it’s depleting. You find yourself juggling medication schedules, hospital…

If you care for a loved one — a parent, partner, child, or friend — you’re one of thousands of unpaid carers in Waleswho quietly keep families and communities going. You do it out of love, but it’s not easy. The latest Carers UK State of Caring 2025 report reveals what life is really like for carers today.…

My right shoulder is certainly the gift that keeps on giving. After seeking a second opinion regarding my continued lack of range of movement in my right arm I was told that I likely have a torn rotator cuff and will need an ultrasound scan to see the extent of the damage and whether or…

As I wrote in yesterday’s blog, I recently sustained serious injuries after a fall back in October last year that changed my life and way of doing things possibly for the rest of my life. Last night I received a phone call from my GP surgery that very likely explains why the fractures I sustained…