Kate Garraway says it鈥檚 tough to 鈥榖alance the budget鈥 after racking up between 拢500,000 and 拢800,000 of debt while caring for her late husband, Derek Draper.
Talking at the King鈥檚 Trust Awards with TK Maxx and Homesense, the Good Morning Britain presenter said of the cost of care, 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely tough to balance the budget, I feel like carers often don鈥檛 have a voice so I鈥檓 here to shout about it and the costs that go unnoticed.
“I wouldn鈥檛 want to be the chancellor right now with the costs going on overall right now.鈥
Broadcaster Kate, 48, cared for her husband Derek for four years as he suffered from an agonising health battle after contracting Covid-19 in 2020 and being left with long Covid, with the family faced with sky high costs to look after him.
鈥淒erek’s care costs more than my salary from ITV and that is before you pay for a mortgage, before you pay any household bills, before you pay for anything for the kids, so we are at a crunch point,鈥 Kate said before Derek鈥檚 passing.
Kate returned to work on Good Morning Britain weeks after Derek鈥檚 death in January last year, and has since been an advocate for carers across the country.
鈥淚 think some people are probably a bit tired of me going on about carers and the lack of support, but I won鈥檛 because they need a voice,鈥 said Kate.
The broadcaster has been supported by several of her colleagues amid the difficult time, and detailed her close relationship with former co-presenter Ben Shephard.
鈥淏en and I are great friends, I always see him in the studio on Thursdays because I鈥檓 in for GMB and he鈥檚 in for This Morning, so it鈥檚 lovely. He鈥檚 actually not happy with me right now because we鈥檝e been meaning to go for lunch and haven鈥檛 yet. I owe him a lunch!鈥
Hot off the heels of visiting Buckingham Palace a day prior to the King鈥檚 Trust Awards, Kate said she was grateful to His Majesty for his continued support of her. 鈥淭he king has a very charming personality and he鈥檚 always been so kind to me. He鈥檚 looking really well and healthy too, which was really nice to see,鈥 shared Kate.
鈥淭he Kings Trust Awards is always a very special occasion and now Good Morning Britain is part of an award too so I feel like I can get involved anymore,鈥 she explained, referencing the show’s involvement in the volunteer of the year award, which was won by Nabilla Zulfiqar.
The King鈥檚 Trust Awards, which began in recognise young people who have improved their own chances in life and had a positive impact on their local community.