Jeff Smith MP today pledged his support to carers across Manchester as part of the national Carers Week 2016 awareness campaign.

There are 6.5 million people in the UK who care for a partner, relative or friend, of which over 8,300 are in the constituency of Manchester Withington.

The seven charities driving Carers Week 2016 are calling on individuals, organisations and services throughout the country to improve the lives of carers by building ‘Carer Friendly Communities’ – encouraging all parts of the community to support carers both in their role of looking after loved ones and as individuals.

The call comes after research for Carers Week revealed that a combination of inadequate support from local services and a lack of understanding about caring from wider society is having a negative impact on carers’ health, wellbeing, relationships and finances.

Commenting on the campaign, Jeff said: “Carers make a huge contribution to our society, providing vital and often hidden support to friends and family members.

That is why I am supporting Carers Week 2016 and encouraging services across Manchester to think about what more they can do to help meet the needs of carers and make our communities more Carer Friendly.”

Emily Holzhausen, who leads the Carers Week partnership, said:  “With an ever increasing number of families taking on caring roles for older, ill or disabled loved ones, it is great to see MPs showing their support for carers.

While carers have told us that it makes a huge difference when they are recognised and supported by their local services and communities, too many carers tell us they struggling to balance caring with other areas of their lives.

By working together during Carers Week we have a huge opportunity to make our communities more Carer Friendly and make a difference to those who contribute so much”.

Thousands of events are taking place across the country this week, and thousands of people have already pledged their support for carers online. To find out more about events in Manchester visit www.carersweek.org