A Carents, the term used to describe adults who care for their elderly parents, have emerged as one of the largest groups of unpaid carers in the U.K. The Health Foundation 2023 report that carers aged up to 70 are most likely to be caring for a parent.
Estimates indicate that over five million individuals in England and Wales alone undertook the crucial responsibility of unpaid caregiving in 2021, and 1.4 million of these provided 50 or more hours of unpaid care a week. Notably, a significant majority of these carers were women, accounting for 60% of the total, while individuals aged 50 and above constituted 60% of the caring population. These statistics were revealed in a comprehensive study conducted by The Health Foundation in 2023.
We’ve joined forces with Northern Gas Networks (NGN) and UK Power Networks (UKPN) to form a strategic alliance with The Carents Room, a leading online resource platform for midlife adults. Together, the companies will support and safeguard those caring for an elderly loved one and other customers who find themselves in vulnerable situations or financial difficulties.
This partnership brings together the expertise of The Carents Room and the energy industry to make a positive impact on the lives of carers across the country, providing instant access to support, energy advice and health information for the adult carers across the United Kingdom. With resources becoming increasingly scarce, the collaboration of these organisations will provide the support needed to ensure that every customer is supplied with energy, especially during the colder months.
The recent cost of living crisis has affected a significant portion of the U.K. population, with older individuals facing particularly challenging circumstances. According to a survey conducted by Age UK, 9.4 million individuals aged 65 and over have expressed concerns about financial management. To tackle the frequently neglected issue of wellness in ageing adults, The Carents Room is striving to raise awareness about the expert guidance available from its partner organisations on a range of products and services, including energy-saving tips, safety measures and advice on how to join the Priority Services Register for customers who have extra communication, access or safety needs.
Dr JackieGray,the founder of The Carents Room, commented, “I am delighted to be working with NGN, Cadent and UKPN. Carenting is not just about health and social care. It’salso about staying safe and enjoying life. Older adults are often more susceptible to sudden changes in their routine and environment, and some need more help with everyday tasks such as cooking, heating, maintenance and bills.”
Cadent's Head of Customer Vulnerability Delivery Phil Burrows said: "We’recommitted as a business to leveraging any and all partnerships that help us meet our commitment to support customers, particularly those most in need.
“By partnering with The Carents Room we want to do all we can to ‘help the help ers’who give their time and energy to look after others. We’relooking forward to a long and productive partnership.”
Denise Massey Managing Director of the EIC said “The EIC is delighted to have facilitated the collaboration between The Carents Room and the Networks involved. We will continue to support The Carents Room as one of our Innovators and we wish Dr Jackie Gray and the team every success for the future”.
For more information about The Carents Room please visit https://thecarentsroom.com/
Founded in 2020 by Dr Jackie Gray, The Carents Room provides a one stop shop to help provide more timely access to resources and help for older people and their supportive adult children. This will include advice on how to stay healthy in the home, such things as Carbon Monoxide risks, how to register for Priority Services from UKPN, NGN and Cadent and other relevant products and services to keep loved ones safe and secure.
The word carents® refers to the estimated three million plus mid-life children providing care for elderly relatives in the UK community. The term carenting describes the multitude of activities involved in caring for an elderly parent.
As a dually qualified GP and Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Jackie has over 30 years of experience tackling ageing in individuals and communities but the direct experience of caring for her elderly father and being supported by others in similar roles afforded her new insights into the challenges of ageing and caring.
Jackie’s experience showed that ageing and caring in the UK can be isolating and challenging, compounded by a lack of recognition and a shortage of suitable information, services, products and experiences which could make life easier for busy carents® and their ageing parents.
Since 2005, NGN has been leading the way as one of the most cost-efficient of the UK’s eight gas distribution networks. NGN deliver great value for money to their customers, as well as a whole host of social and economic benefits to the region. NGN is recognised as a dynamic, passionate, conscious and people focused team that safely and reliably delivers gas to over 2.7 million homes and businesses across the North East, northern Cumbria and much of Yorkshire.
UK Power Networks own and maintain electricity cables and lines across London, the South East and East of England and make sure power flows reliably, safely, and securely. UKPN’s priorities are to tackle the climate crisis by connecting renewable energy, electric car chargers and low carbon heating, meet customers evolving needs by improving our services, support customers in vulnerable circumstances and go above and beyond for the communities they serve.
The EIC is a hub for innovation in the energy industry, working closely with Networks and Innovators to develop and implement new ideas and technologies that can drive progress and positive change. By bridging the gap between innovation and industry, the EIC can help drive progress, creating new opportunities for growth and innovation, and ultimately delivering benefits for customers and communities across the UK.
Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy. We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change. Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency. Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing.
Here at Cadent we support the Government’s plans to reach Net Zero by 2050. That means we’re backing the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas for the future. We know people love the controllability of gas and, with our network already in place, it makes sense to switch to the lower carbon alternative offered by hydrogen, which we believe can keep homes and businesses warm for generations to come.
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