Carers Week 2026: why supporting working carers matters
At some point in their lives, 46% of people will provide unpaid care, and 22% are doing so right now. That means caring is not a marginal issue – it is a mainstream workforce issue that will affect many colleagues across primary care.
The impact can be significant. Carers Week research found that 62% of current and former unpaid carers said they had no choice when they took on their caring role because no other care options were available. The same research found that caring had a more negative than positive impact on mental health for 63% of carers, on physical health for 53%, on job and ability to work for 48%, and on finances and savings for 47%.
The effects are not felt evenly
Women were significantly more likely than men to say caring had a very negative impact on their mental health, 27% compared with 19%. People aged 45 to 54 were most likely to say they had no choice when taking on a caring role, at 70%, and were also the group most likely to report significant negative effects.
There is also a clear financial penalty. Carers UK reported that nearly half of working-age carers lose around £12,000 a year because of their caring responsibilities. At the same time, Carer’s Allowance is £86.45 a week for eligible people providing at least 35 hours of care, which shows how limited statutory financial support can be compared with lost earnings.
This matters to employers
We are a GP Federation, owned by and accountable to our local GP practices, which means everything we do is designed to support General Practice as the “neighbourhood anchor” for health in Wakefield. This partnership model ensures we remain grounded in the real needs of our community and responsive to the challenges facing our member GP Practices and primary care.
This collaborative approach ensures patients receive the right care, in the right setting, at the right time. By working closely with our GP Practices and partner organisations across the district, we’re delivering healthcare services and building a stronger, more resilient, and healthier communities for everyone who lives in the Wakefield district.
Recognising Carers
At Conexus Healthcare, this is why recognising carers in our workforce matters. We want colleagues to feel able to talk about caring responsibilities early, access support, and make use of flexible and practical options where available. We also want managers and teams to take a proactive approach, rather than waiting until someone is struggling.
At time of writing, we have over 50 different shift patterns, supporting our workforce and helping employees to accommodate their responsibilities and demands out of work. We know that a good work-life balance and the knowledge that conversations about changing working patterns, even for a short period of time, are accepted, contribute to staff retention and a positive working environment.
Through the Wakefield Resilience Academy, we offer a programme of training and events to support an effective and resilient primary care workforce. Alongside wider support and signposting, these opportunities can help staff and managers build confidence, awareness and practical skills that support a more carer-aware workplace.
So, this Carers Week, take a moment to reflect on whether you, or someone in your team, may be balancing work with unpaid care or may have been a carer and is living with the financial and emotional consequences. Recognising caring early and responding supportively can make a real difference to wellbeing, retention and inclusion.