Caring for free

The charity Carers UK says relatives and partners looking after sick, elderly and disabled people save the UK an estimated £87bn a year in money that might otherwise be spent looking after them.

The BBC has been contacted by many people providing unpaid care who have told of how they feel they get little recognition or support. Here are two of their stories.

AGNES CHARNLEY, 68, OF BLACKBURN

Agnes has been looking after her husband Jim for 8 years

Agnes has been looking after her husband Jim for 8 years

Agnes Charnley has been married to her husband Jim for almost 50 years. Both were teachers and have brought up seven children and fostered many others.

Now Jim has Alzheimer's disease and for the past eight years Agnes has looked after him at their home in Blackburn.

Agnes says she gets very little rest. At first Jim's symptoms amounted to periods of memory loss, but now Agnes has to do everything for him.

Often he cannot remember who she is. As well as taking care of him by dressing and feeding him, they spend a lot of time looking at photographs of their past and their family to help him keep remembering. She feels it is impossible to leave him for very long as he wanders off.

"Everything I do now is for Jim - I've accepted that I don't matter very much," Agnes says.

I've now said goodbye to Jim as he was and now I am his carer Agnes Send us your comments Carers 'save UK billions'

Agnes herself has been ill as the job of caring for Jim has taken its toll on her emotionally and physically.

She gets short periods of rest during the week when her husband goes to a day centre or when family members help out, but this spare time is filled with household jobs like ironing, which she cannot do when Jim is around.

Agnes knows she is not alone in what she does for her husband. However, she feels there is not enough recognition for what she and the many others like her do.

"I had to give up my job but you don't get any reimbursement. We're on a guilt trip in a way. We love someone so much we don't want to let them down, so we'll keep them for as long as we can - nobody else has to pay out."

Agnes has given up so much of her life to look after her husband

All the plans the couple had for their retirement together are gone - Agnes now cherishes what time she has left with her husband at home.

She misses the conversation they had and the jokes they used to share. "I've now said goodbye to Jim as he was and now I am his carer."

She thinks it will not be too long before Jim's condition has deteriorated so much that she can no longer care for him by herself. When that day comes, he will have to go into a nursing home - a service she will have to pay greatly for.

ANNEKA, 11, OF BLACKPOOL

Anneka combines caring with going to school

Anneka looks after her mother, Anna, who was injured in a crash when a speeding car tried to overtake her vehicle.

She spent months in hospital and at some points doctors feared she would not survive.

The accident left her with poor mobility. She often uses a wheelchair to get around and relies on her 11-year-old daughter to do the jobs she previously took for granted.

Sometimes I just feel like I don't want to do it but I have to because my mum needs my help Anneka

Anneka's father Anton works a long way away - he leaves the house early and gets back late.

Anneka has to help her mother - she takes her breakfast and medication, helps her move around the house and ensures she is comfortable and has everything she needs while Anneka is at school.

Anneka says sometimes she feels frustrated she is a young carer.

"Sometimes I just feel like I don't want to do it but I have to because my mum needs my help. I'm missing out playing with my friends, playing out, going to my friends' houses. I can't go just in case anything happens to my mum."

Anneka's mother feels indebted to her daughter for what she does for her.

"I can't manage without my daughter or husband," Anna says.

Anneka says she misses doing some of the things she used to do

"That's the top and bottom of it. I couldn't function as a person without them.

"With my daughter helping she's really saving the government money. If the authorities had to pay for the nursing care, that would run into thousands."

Anneka's friends have been understanding but she does miss hanging out with them. She says she never thought her life would be like this.

"I thought my mum would look after me but instead I look after her - so it's all changed around."

LISA CROWLEY, 36, OF LITTLEHAMPTON

Lisa juggles caring for her mum with working full time

More than 3 million people juggle caring with work. One of those is Lisa Crowley from Littlehampton in West Sussex.

For the past seven years she has looked after her mum, Jean, who suffers very badly from arthritis.

Lisa works as a personal assistant for British Telecom - a company she has been part of for the last 19 years.

Since her mum became ill she's worked out a flexible contract with BT which allows her to work from home some of the time so she can also care for her mum.

Jean's condition means she has restricted mobility.

It was never a second thought to look after mum. She gave me everything - why shouldn't I help her. Lisa Crowley

When she is having a very bad day her joints are so painful that she finds it difficult to do the things many people take for granted - like getting out of bed, going to the toilet and showering.

"It was never a second thought for me to care for mum. She gave birth to me, gave me everything so why shouldn't I help her have her life."

Three days a week Lisa works from an office in her home. She gets up early to make her mum a cup of tea and tidy the house so her mum can move round.

At 8.30 the calls start coming through from her office. The rest of the day is spent organising her boss's schedule as well as making sure her mum has everything she needs.

Two days a week she works from an office in London. During those times she prepares food and leaves tea for her mum to have during the day.

BT operate flexible working for carers within their organisation because Lisa says they really value the contribution that people like her make to the company.

Although sometimes when her mother has been really ill she has considered giving up her job she says that it really plays an important part in her life.

"It makes me the person I am. It is a diverse job. Being a PA is difficult as well because as a one to one PA it is just like looking after mum."

Lisa has an office at home so she can also care for her mum

Lisa has asked for certain things to be done to adapt her house so it is easier for her mum but she says that social services have not been able to provide what she needs most.

Often she says she ends up paying for the work out of her own pocket so that it gets done.

Lisa says that she doesn't want medals or awards for what she does for her mum - she wants support. Like most carers she says it is not recognition they need.

"We do it as part of a normal life. It is all to do with the fact we do it for the person we love. The hardest thing is we feel unloved by the outside world - we need more of a support blanket."