Unpaid carers who spoke movingly of the struggles they face asked for a plan to improve their lives not to be "a tick-box exercise".

Carers outlined the sacrifices they have made at the launch of Camden Council's Carers Action Plan at on Monday (July 22) .

The aim set out is "to enable all services to work together to meet the needs of carers", but Cllr Nanouche Umeadi -  who needed care herself after suffering an arm injury - said she wanted genuine results.

The single mother of two could not put on her shoes or clean, and her mental health deteriorated due to her medication.

She said the idea of her four-year-old daughter being her carer for life would be "heartbreaking".

The mayor Cllr Samata Khatoon, with councillors, carers and local care service operatives at the launch of the Camden Carers Action PlanThe mayor Cllr Samata Khatoon, with councillors, carers and local care service operatives at the launch of the Camden Carers Action Plan (Image: Camden Council)

"I had to fight in order to get better," she added. "I hope it's not tick boxing because people are really suffering." 

Jessica Hurst has been a full-time carer since the age of 16, when "bombshell" news of her father’s cancer and immune disorder turned her family’s world around.

"Everything went out the window, my career, my education," she said.

Carers and local care service operatives speak at the launch of Camden's Carers Action PlanCarers and local care service operatives speak at the launch of Camden's Carers Action Plan (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

Disabled carer Angela Tebe said support services are currently "extremely well hidden" and "must remain inclusive for everyone".

Arun Kumar, who has a disabled son, said: "At some point in our lives we will play a role of care and we will need care at some point as well, so it's not something that exists for somebody else.

"We are all involved in this so this action plan is incredibly important because it sets direct impact on everyone in this room."

Camden Carers chief executive Allegra Lynch said there were 14,603 unpaid carers in Camden.

She said if just 5,200 were paid the London Living Wage to work a 35-hour week, with no paid holiday or sick leave, it would cost £24 million a year. 

Cllr Anna Wright, cabinet member for health, wellbeing and adult social care, speaking at Camden's full meetingCllr Anna Wright, cabinet member for health, wellbeing and adult social care, speaking at Camden's full meeting (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

Cllr Anna Wright, cabinet member for health, wellbeing and social care, stressed that the plan, which is fully funded with an additional £30,000 over two years, was "not a tick box exercise".

She said: "The ambition is to take the fight out of caring. Carers should not have to fight.

"We can't have carers coming back here saying nothing's changed."