Wishart highlights carers week 2025

Scottish Liberal Democrat and Shetland MSP, Beatrice Wishart, has highlighted carers awareness week 2025 supporting a parliamentary motion and attending a carers roundtable discussion in the Parliament.

Across Scotland there are over 627,000 unpaid carers, including 28,000 young carers under the age of 18. 

With the support of Ms Wishart and Scottish Liberal Democrats the Scottish Parliament passed the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill this week, which contains Anne’s Law. Named after Anne Duke, who died in a care home in 2021 after being cut off from her family due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this measure ensures adults living in care homes have the legal right to have a designated visitor even in restricted circumstances. The bill was passed after the Scottish Government scrapped controversial National Care Service plans.

Ms Wishart said:

“This year’s Carers Week theme is 'Caring About Equality'. Too often, carers of all-ages miss out on opportunities in their education, careers, or personal lives, because of their caring role.

“Unpaid carers face a greater risk of poverty, social isolation, poor mental and physical health. To make sure they are recognised and supported, we need equality for carers.

“Shetland has a unique and well-functioning caring sector. National Care Service plans could have jeopardised the joined-up work of local organisations and the new care bill will be better placed to reform the care sector in areas of the country with a poor care service record.

“We should also recognise the valuable work of the third sector in communities across Scotland who provide much-needed support and assistance to unpaid carers.” 

Please find attached a picture of Beatrice Wishart MSP and attendees of the Carers Week roundtable discussion in the Parliament.

Carers Week 2005 Parliamentary Motion:

That the Parliament welcomes Carers Week 2025, which is an annual campaign that, in 2025, will take place from 9 to 15 June and is on the theme, Caring About Equality, for people to come together to recognise the contribution of 627,715 unpaid carers in Scotland, including 28,000 young carers under the age of 18; understands that it is organised by six charities in Scotland, which are Carers Scotland, Carers Trust Scotland, MND Scotland, Oxfam Scotland, the Lewy Body Society and Age Scotland; further understands that there will be hundreds of events held across the country, which will reach out to thousands of unpaid carers and young carers; recognises the significance of the contribution of unpaid carers who, it believes, are the backbone of Scotland’s health and social care system, and without whom it would collapse; recognises what it sees as the inequalities faced by unpaid carers, including a greater risk of poverty, social isolation, poor mental and physical health, and believes that unpaid carers can miss opportunities in their education, careers or personal lives, just because of their caring role; considers that the unpaid labour that carers in Scotland provide saves the economy £15.9 billion each year, a figure that has reportedly increased by 19.4% since 2011; believes that every effort should be made to recognise this contribution and ensure that unpaid carers of all ages receive the support that they need to address and prevent the inequalities that they experience, and wishes Carers Week every success.

More information about Carers Week, and how to get involved, can be found here: https://www.carersweek.org/