NI mums on the harsh reality and ‘every day struggle’ of unpaid carer poverty

Two Northern Ireland mums have opened up on the struggles every day unpaid carers face trying to manage on £76 per week of Carer’s Allowance.

Mum-of-three Joanne McKee, 43, from East Belfast has been a full-time carer for her 19-year-old son Tyler, who has autism, since 2012. Joanne added: "During the pandemic, the government were promising bonuses and increases but no carer has ever seen it. In the lockdowns, we were locked in the house 24-7 with no respite or day centres with no thank you at the end of it all.

Before Aisling was born, Sally had a high flying career working in brand management in England: "I have to provide a service 24-7, 7 days a week for Aisling and she's the first thing I deal with in the morning and the last thing at night. But carers are forgotten heroes and the Carers Allowance at present is a pittance.

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“Stormont’s budget would fall apart if our unpaid carers downed tools for even a few hours, so it is an outrage that all of the thanks they get in return is a welfare benefit that, in most cases, barely covers the cost of a weekly grocery shop.

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