caba is calling for unpaid carers within the ICAEW community to access the free support available to them. The Carers Support Service offers a space for people in the industry to connect with caba to help them navigate the financial, emotional and practical care support available.

For accountants already facing high pressure workloads, the added responsibilities of caring intensify feelings of stress and burnout. Last year, 90 people received care support from caba with many others receiving financial or mental health support related to their caring responsibilities.

Research shows nearly four in 10 adults caring for an elderly relative have reduced their working hours or left employment altogether. Unpaid carers also lose an average of £6,000 a year in income, alongside the long-term impact on career progression and pensions, and more than half (57%) of carers feel overwhelmed often or always. This makes it even more important to make sure you are accessing all available support as an unpaid carer.

Ola Opoosun, head of support services at caba, said: ‘Unpaid carers are the backbone of society. They carry so much extra weight on their shoulders beyond the normal responsibilities of day-to-day life.

‘We know from caba’s research that carers within the ICAEW community are more likely to experience stress, burnout and financial difficulties.

‘Our experienced team listens with empathy and advises without judgement. We’re here to make sure anybody in the ICAEW community who needs help knows they can reach out to us. If you’re caring for a loved one, get in touch and find out what additional assistance you might be eligible for.’

Over the past two decades, the number of adults providing more than 35 hours of care each week for a loved one has increased significantly (more than 70%), with an estimated five million people currently providing unpaid care in England and Wales.

Through the Carers Support Service, caba can connect members of the ICAEW community with personalised support options, including financial grants, emotional wellbeing services and practical guidance and resources.

A member of the ICAEW community who received support from caba after their wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer shared their experience: ‘I just wanted to say a huge thank you to caba for such a generous offer regarding the physiotherapist. I honestly had to read the email a few times because I couldn’t quite believe it. caba’s kindness really means a lot. It’s going to make such a difference for all of us.’

The accountant was in their mid-50s and had given up work to support their wife during this period. caba therefore supported them to claim for carers allowance from the government, as well as provide a free occupational therapy assessment, physiotherapy and counselling.

More information is available at caba Carers Support Service about the support you might be able to access as a member of the ICAEW community, or call 01788556366, email [email protected] or online.

As an independent charity, all support provided by caba is free and confidential.