Today, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Carers has published a new report calling for a new and ambitious National Carers Strategy to be developed by the next Government, as a matter of priority after the upcoming General Election on 4 July.

Carers UK, who provide the secretariat for the group, have published the report on its behalf.

Thank you again for completing the survey that the APPG on Carers ran earlier this year. You were one of 5,032 people who provided feedback on the APPG’s proposals. Your response was invaluable in helping shape the call that they are making today. 

The APPG on Carers, chaired by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP and co-chaired by Baroness Jill Pitkeathley, said that the development of a new National Carers Strategy by the next Government would better recognise the significant challenges that millions of unpaid carers are facing and help to improve their health and wellbeing, finances, and access to care and support.

An overwhelming majority (95%) of respondents to the survey we ran ‘strongly agreed’ (81%) or ‘agreed’ (14%) that a new cross-Government National Carers Strategy should be developed by the next UK Government. 99% of respondents agreed that any future National Carers Strategy should be co-designed with unpaid carers and organisations that advocate on their behalf, and 98% of respondents agreed that it should be supported by dedicated and ring-fenced Government investment to deliver any agreed outcomes for unpaid carers.

The report calls for any future strategy to be led by the future Prime Minister, with clear buy-in and responsibilities for Secretaries of States for all Government Departments that have responsibility for policy relating to the provision of unpaid care. It also highlights that any strategy that is developed needs to have clear roles and responsibilities for other important stakeholders, such as NHS England, the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, and to work in tandem with organisations who represent carers. Vitally, any such strategy should be developed and co-designed with current and former unpaid carers and learn from their personal experiences of caring.

Commenting on the launch of the new survey, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the APPG on Carers and former Minister for Care, said:

“I am delighted that we are launching this report today which calls for a new National Carers Strategy to recognise the vital support that families and friends provide on a daily basis to loved ones. I am simply staggered by the huge response we received from carers and others to the survey that we held earlier this year; a response that would be worthy of a very well-engaged Government consultation. I was very pleased that there is almost unanimous support for a step-change in the Government’s approach to supporting millions of people who do such important work in caring unpaid for their family and friends.”

“The Government’s Carers Action Plan that was published in 2018 when I was Minister for Care provided a very valuable opportunity to improve the support provided to carers. Developing a new National Carers Strategy would build on that work and provide a strategic focus to better enable the next Government to coordinate its support for carers and ensure they get the support they need.”

Baroness Pitkeathley, Co-Chair of the APPG on Carers and Vice-President of Carers UK said:

“The need for a new cross-Government approach to supporting unpaid carers is something that unpaid carers, national and local charities, and other organisations that represent them, have long been calling for. The unpaid care people provide daily is a lifeline for millions of people, and carers play a vital role in supporting the UK's health and social care systems, offering essential support that complements the formal care provided by professionals. Despite their huge contribution, far too many carers do not feel recognised or supported, and too often caring comes with significant challenges that have a severe and lasting impact on carers’ own lives.

“Carers urgently need to see changes to ensure they get the support they need. That is why all political parties need to commit to establishing a new National Carers Strategy, ahead of the General Election on 4 July. Millions of carers who are facing significant challenges with their health, wellbeing and finances simply cannot wait any longer.”

Carers UK provides the secretariat for the APPG on Carers. 

Click here to see the PR that Carers UK has issued today on behalf of the APPG on Carers. 

 If you have any questions about the report, please do not hesitate to contact John Perryman (Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Carers UK), who provides the secretariat for the APPG on Carers, at john.perryman@carersuk.org. 

Yours sincerely,

John

John Perryman

Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Carers UK

Secretariat for the APPG on Carers