At some point in our lives every one of us will look after an elderly relative, a sick friend or a disabled family member. Six million people in the UK are caring right now.

Caring is part and parcel of life but without the right support the personal costs of caring can be high. Caring can take its toll on your finances, your health, your social life, and on your other family and work commitments. Carers can fall out of paid work and many rely on benefits, forcing them into poverty.

Yet without unpaid carers our NHS would collapse and the country would face an £87 billion care bill it cannot afford.

Carers are contributing so much to their communities by looking after the people they love, yet in return they face ignorance, isolation and little or no support. This has to stop. It cannot be fair that those who contribute so much are valued so little. We want society to respect, value and support carers.

CarersUK website