Unpaid carers among witnesses giving evidence to MPs this week

• Inquiry: Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction
• Watch the session
• Health and Social Care Committee

The session will start with two unpaid carers, one of whom has been a young carer, sharing with MPs their experience of providing unpaid care.

The most recent Census found that there were over 5 million unpaid carers in England and Wales, and 1.7 million people in the UK providing 50 or more hours of care per week. The session on Wednesday will be an opportunity for MPs to understand the direct impacts that providing unpaid care has on other parts of their lives. 

In the second panel of the session, at 10.15am, the Committee will hear evidence from an academic researcher on estimating the financial cost of informal care to those providing the care. 

The third panel, at approximately 10.45am, will see MPs take evidence from Age UK, who will present the findings of their annual report on the state of health and care for older people. 

Witnesses on 19 March 

At 9:30am  

• Holly, unpaid carer for family member 

• Jayne Simpson, unpaid carer for family member 

At 10.15 

• Dr Maria Petrillo, Research Associate, Centre for Care, University of Sheffield 

At 10.45 

• Tom Gentry, Head of Health Influencing, Age UK 

• Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK 

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: House of Commons