Carers need some care for themselves - Burstow

5.32.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 8th Jun 2009

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, is supporting this year's Carers Week (8-14 June) to celebrate Sutton's 19,000 carers who provide unpaid care to a relative or friend who's ill, frail or disabled.

This year the theme for Carers Week is 'Carers…the UK's Secret Service' and aims to give Carers the recognition and support their work deserves, which is essential to families, friends and their communities.

Six million people in the UK are carers and through their unpaid work they save the state an estimated £87bn a year. In recent research the public ranked the contribution that carers make to society just below that of nurses and firefighters.

Mr Burstow is attending a coffee morning at Sutton carers centre on Wednesday where he will be expressing his respect and admiration for the work done locally by carers in the community.

Commenting Mr Burstow MP said:

'Carers work is often behind closed doors and almost in secret; so they rarely receive the credit and recognition they deserve. These individuals sacrifice their time - as well their health, finances, job and social life - to fulfil caring responsibilities.

'This week is an excellent reminder of the priceless and selfless work of Sutton's 19,000 carers. More must be done to support our carers, three quarters of whom feel they've reached breaking point because of the stress of their role.

'Carers should not feel they're alone; they must not be a 'secret service' any longer.'