WITH a huge number of people in Carlisle - from teens to people in their 90s - working long hours as a carer, one long-term carer is calling for the government to 'step up' and offer support. 

Figures from the 2021 census shows that there are 2,700 people in Carlisle working 50 hours or more every week as an unpaid carer.

David Clemenson, who lives in Carlisle, has been caring for both his wife, who was diagnosed with Alzheimers, and his son, who has learning disabilities, since 1986.

The 69-year-old said that back in 1986, when his wife was diagnosed, he was faced with 'two options'.

"Back in 1986, I had the choice, continue working and put my wife into long-term care and children into foster care, or pack in work and become a full-time carer.

"The government should be helping with that. The government need to wake up, without us, they've nobody.

"If all these people were to go into care, would they really be footing the bill?" he said.

There are 40 people aged 90 or above in the city working 50 hours or more unpaid and a further 20 children of school age doing the same hours. 

Mr Clemenson said it's more than 50 hours a week for many, it's 24 hours a day and 'getting sleep inbetween that is impossible'.

"We get no thanks. I'd like the government to look into and support the carers with some form of genuine income - if my wife had been put in care 37 years ago, would they be able to tell me what that cost would have been," he said.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows a total of 9,221 people in Carlisle were looking after someone without being paid when the census was carried out in March 2021 – amounting to 8.6 per cent of the city's population.