Adferiad Recovery responds to the Welsh Government announcement of a one-off payment of £500 for unpaid carers in Wales

Unpaid carers in Wales will be eligible to receive a one-off £500 payment in recognition of the “pivotal role” they played during the pandemic.

Individuals who care for partners, relatives or friends who have an illness or disability, which also include mental health problems, are considered to be unpaid carers. Many of these individuals take on these caring responsibilities full-time and therefore are unable to work while others do it alongside their employment. The £500 payment is part of a £29million investment from the Welsh Government to acknowledge the financial and emotional hardship many unpaid carers have experienced over the last couple of years. Those who are currently in receipt of Carers’ Allowance will be eligible for the payment.

Adferiad Recovery Chief Executive, Alun Thomas said: “Adferiad Recovery provides a number of services for carers of people with mental ill health, and so we are well-aware of the challenges faced by unpaid carers. We are proud as an organisation to be able to offer a number of opportunities for respite for unpaid carers from what can often be an arduous job.

“The pandemic provided unpaid carers with a number of additional challenges to their already high-pressured roles, and yet they persevered and continued to provide the necessary care that their loved ones need. They can only be commended for their hard work and so we are pleased to see an acknowledgement from the Welsh Government for their commitment.

“We are however concerned that very many carers have not had a carers’ assessment nor are in receipt of carers allowance which means that they will miss out on this payment, and so we encourage the Welsh Government to address the inequality often faced by carers across Wales.”

The Welsh Government is due to announce details on how and when unpaid carers can register for the payment soon.