Carers can’t live on 51p an hour | Letter

Emma Sainsbury questions whether government policy takes sufficient account of people whose caring responsibilities shape their finances and ability to keep a home

For 13 years, I have cared for my lovely 101-year-old adoptive mum who requires round-the-clock care. I feel blessed to care for her and have no regrets. But love does not pay the bills.

Carer’s allowance is £86.45 a week for 2026-27. Spread across 168 hours, that is roughly 51p an hour. As a sole carer, I have no downtime. I still work part-time as a self-employed therapist when Mum’s health allows, but when she is poorly, my work stops while the bills continue.

I do not claim carer’s allowance as the frequent paperwork required to report changes in my self-employed earnings is difficult to manage alongside my caring responsibilities.

Last winter, our electricity bill exceeded £400 a month because Mum needs heating round the clock. This is the reality of caring in a cost of living crisis. I worked hard to buy and pay off my own home. But it had no downstairs bedroom or bathroom, and was unsuitable for Mum. I had to rent it out, hoping one day to live there. Eventually, caring and the costs of maintaining the property forced me to sell, and I faced a capital gains tax bill.

I do not blame HMRC for applying the rules. I question whether government policy takes sufficient account of people whose caring responsibilities force them to make difficult decisions about their homes. Unpaid carers save society enormously, often at the expense of their own earnings, pensions and financial security. We need more than praise: we need practical support and a system that recognises the real cost of caring. Loving someone should not mean years of essential care leave you financially vulnerable. Emma Sainsbury Author, Love, Laughter and the Hidden World of Unpaid Carers