CHARITY TECH START-UP MOBILISES £1M OF GIFTED HOTEL ROOMS TO UNPAID CARERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAREFREE HQ, LONDON
Charity tech start-up Carefree has radically transformed access to short breaks away for unpaid carers all across the UK, who provide 80% of home care in the UK and regularly sacrifice their own health and wellbeing to look after loved ones.
With 8 hotel groups making 1,000-2,000 nights available per month on a rolling basis via Carefree’s platform, the charity has so far connected 4,000 full-time unpaid carers to a 2-night break of their choice valued at £1m. 76% of its service users haven’t taken a break in a year - 42% for more than three years.
The 2021 census found that there are 5.7m unpaid carers in England and Wales, with 1.5m doing over 50 hours of unpaid care work per week. Collectively the unpaid carer community saves the economy £162 billion per year. (Valuing Carers Report, May 2023)
On why a break is so important, Kelly, who took a break at Crewe Hall Hotel and Spa said:
“Just being able to breathe instead of being alert all the time. I was able to eat, sleep and bathe all in one day without having to choose one out the three. I was free.”
Whilst the Carers Leave Act which is due to be enacted in 2024 will introduce a new and flexible entitlement to one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are providing or arranging care for a relative or dependant, the is primarily designed to create more space for carers to carry out their caring responsibilities; not time off to look after their own wellbeing.
Carefree reports that 88% of carers that have taken a break using their service, wouldn't have been able to without this initiative. 96% reported an improved wellbeing, 76% said they felt less socially isolated and 85% felt able to cope with their role after taking a Carefree break.