This report demonstrates the scale of the investment needed in social care to provide a decent standard of living for disabled and older people and their families providing unpaid care.  It is deeply worrying that there remains no clarity about what funding will be available for social care beyond the start of 2025, and this must be a priority for policy makers and Government in advance of any general election.  

Although welcome, £600 million by 2024/25 is insufficient to meet future demand and unpaid carers continue to suffer from the shortfall in social care funding. The Census 2021 showed as many as 1.4 million unpaid carers in England were providing over 50 hours care a week, a rise of more than 150,000 since 2011. Unpaid carers are taking on more than ever, with impacts on their health and wellbeing and almost half (41%) not taking a break from their caring role in a year*.