First ever cross-Government action plan to support unpaid carers published
- Unpaid carers will be identified earlier and connected to support sooner under a new action plan
- Cross-Government plan will improve recognition of unpaid carers, referring them to services and helping them access health services and employment and education support
- The Government is building a system that recognises and supports unpaid carers, as a crucial part of its plans for a National Care Service
Millions of unpaid carers in England will be better recognised, referred to support and helped to reach their full potential, under a new cross-government action plan published today.
Nearly one in 10 people in England is an unpaid carer - providing an invaluable service in society looking after family members, friends or loved ones.
However, unpaid carers can experience challenges with keeping up careers or education, looking after their own health, including loneliness and isolation, and difficulties in taking breaks away from caring.
The action plan is underpinned by 3 central pillars: recognising our carers, referring them to services, and helping them reach their potential.
Recognising includes making sure they are identified early, particularly young carers. Unpaid carers can then be referred to the support they need whether it's financial, such as the Carer's Allowance, employment support such as Carer's Leave and flexible working, or health and social care services. Support also includes helping them to reach their potential or remain in work or education, so they can have fulfilling lives beyond their caring responsibilities.
Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said:
Unpaid carers make an extraordinary contribution in our communities, caring for loved ones, often putting the needs of others before their own, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for all they do.
But too many still go unseen, struggle to find support, or feel caring has held back their own health, education, work or retirement.
Our action plan is addressing some of these challenges and is focused on helping carers reach their potential in education or work. To all unpaid and young carers across the country - this Government values your contribution and is committed to building a system that recognises and supports you.
The Government's Unpaid Carers Action Plan: Recognise, Refer, Reach contains 42 clear actions and sets out practical steps across health, social care, education, employment and social security to improve support for unpaid carers.
Key measures of the plan include:
- Unpaid carers registering their role on the NHS App so health professionals can clearly see they are a carer and involving them in care planning and referring them to the right support.
- The Single Patient Record will mean all health and care providers will have the same information for a person - meaning unpaid carers will no longer need to repeat the same information about the person they care for, while helping them manage appointments and prescriptions.
- Unpaid carers landing page on GOV.UK putting clear guidance from health, social care, employment and benefits in one place for the first time - launching this summer.
- Carers' Charter to be published, setting out the carer's rights and entitlements.
- The Government will require employers with 250+ workers to improve the support for unpaid carers from Spring 2027 so they can continue in their careers while carrying out their caring responsibilities.
- Carers to be central to hospital discharge planning, under reforms to the Better Care Fund.
- Young carers will be identified quicker and better supported so they can stay in education without falling behind at school. Schools will be held accountable by data on young carers' attendances alongside secure information sharing about young carers across services, so they are supported.
Kirsty McHugh, CEO, Carers Trust, said:
This action plan has the right aims - to make it easier for carers to be identified, get support, and ensure carers are properly considered across health, education and employment. All too often carers continue caring without support, despite the impact on their wellbeing, finances and future opportunities.
The plan is a positive step as we await the Casey Commission on social care reform, and it must lead to tangible change for carers. That means ensuring help is available when they need it, sustained investment in the services that support them, and a long-term strategic approach that tackles the pressures carers face every day.
Emily Holzhausen CBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Carers UK, said:
This is a positive step forwards for unpaid carers, recognising that all too often, they face fragmented services, barriers to support and a lack of recognition for the essential role they play looking after family and friends.
Carers' lives do not fit neatly within the remit of a single department. The challenges they face span health, social care, employment, education, housing and welfare. Carers UK is encouraged to see a more joined-up approach, bringing government departments together to prioritise carers' needs, outline who is responsible and how progress can be tracked.
The action plan follows the steps the Government has already taken to support unpaid carers including raising the Carer's Allowance earnings limit by more than £2,750 in 2 years, the largest increase since the 1970s. Alongside this, universal credit and pension credit provide an additional £2,500 a year to 1.1 million unpaid carers through the carer element and carer addition.
The Department for Business and Trade has also launched a consultation on employment rights and carer's leave, with proposals to introduce paid carer's leave and a right to return to work following a period of intensive caring.
Baroness Casey's Independent Commission for Social Care is underway, which includes exploring the needs of unpaid carers, as part of our first steps towards a National Care Service. The Commission's initial recommendations are due this year.
Caroline Abrahams CBE, Charity Director, Age UK, said:
We welcome the Unpaid Carers Action Plan as a significant step forward in the long march towards ensuring the many millions of people who care are treated fairly, and that they are offered the support they need. We think the plan's commitment to improving the engagement of unpaid carers in hospital discharge will be especially important for many older carers.
At Age UK we hear far too often from older people who care for a partner, relative or friend, who were not brought into discharge conversations and whose own health and other needs were overlooked. This sets a discharge up to fail and is harmful and distressing for the older carer, as well as the person they are caring for.
Jacqui Cannon, chief executive of dementia charity The Lewy Body Society, said:
>In the Unpaid Carers Action Plan, the Government is recognising that unpaid carers are the backbone of this country. Caring for a loved one, particularly one with dementia, can be the hardest, loneliest but most rewarding thing a person can do. Carers need support at a time in their life when they have the least time, energy and resources to seek it out. It is time we, as a society, show we care about the carers too.
Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon Medical Adviser, ME Association, said:
Unpaid carers play a vital role in looking after people with long term disabling conditions like ME/CFS. But all too often we are hearing about carers who are struggling to also look after their own health or their careers.
One group that we are particularly concerned about, and who receive very little attention, are elderly carers who are facing difficult decisions about who will take over when they are no longer able to carry on.
So, we welcome government recognition of the multiple problems faced by unpaid carers and will be encouraging them to take part in the consultation process to find out what sort of practical help they need and how they could be better informed and supported.
Mark Winstanley, Chief Executive, Rethink Mental Illness, said:
Carers for people living with mental illness often tell us they feel like part of the 'invisible mental health service'. Day after day, they provide emotional and practical support while navigating services and advocating for the care their loved ones need, often at significant cost to their own wellbeing.
We welcome this cross-government plan to improve recognition and support for unpaid carers across different aspects of their lives. When carers are recognised and supported, it benefits everyone.
