UNPAID carers in Mid Cheshire have a new ally in Parliament after their MP Andrew Cooper pledged to stand up for them.

There are more than 8,500 unpaid carers living in Mid Cheshire providing essential support to family and friends.

Now, the constituency's Labour MP Mr Cooper has announced he will support them over the course of this Parliament.

He said: "Unpaid carers in Mid Cheshire provide essential support to family members and friends, often without any respite breaks or support for themselves.

"The value of the care they provide is staggering – it adds up to the equivalent of a second NHS with a total of 5.7 million people providing unpaid care throughout the UK.

"It is so important that their efforts are properly recognised and that they are get the help they need to stay well themselves and in turn care safely and well for their loved ones.

"I pledge to stand up for carers in parliament to ensure unpaid carers in Mid Cheshire are connected to the right support and getting the recognition they need."

On Tuesday (October 8), Mr Cooper attended an event in Parliament and met with unpaid carers to hear about and better understand their experiences of caring, how carers can be better identified and recognised, and the support they urgently need.

The event was organised by Carers UK and supported by seven other Carers Week charities – Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, The ME Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, and The Lewy Body Society.

Together these organisations are calling on the Government to develop a new National Carers Strategy – the first in 16 years – to ensure that all carers get the support they need.

Mr Cooper added: "I back the call for more Government action in support of all unpaid carers, including the development of a new National Carers Strategy."