Key Summary
- UK is planning a system to recognise and support unpaid carers.
- Almost one in 10 people in England is an unpaid carer.
- Unpaid carers will be able to register their role on the NHS App.
Millions of unpaid carers in England will be better recognised, referred to support, and helped to reach their full potential under a new action plan.
The government’s ‘Unpaid carers action plan: recognise, refer, reach’ is building a system that aims to recognise and support unpaid carers as part of future plans for a national care service.
It contains 42 clear actions and sets out practical steps across health, social care, education, employment and social security to improve support for unpaid carers, including young carers.
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 three central pillars: one to recognise who carers are, second to refer them to services and the third to help them reach their potential.
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.”
Through the plan, unpaid carers can register their role on the NHS App, so health professionals can clearly see they are a carer, involving them in care planning and referring them to the right support.
The rollout of a 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.
An unpaid carers landing page will launch on gov.uk this summer, putting clear guidance from health, social care, employment and benefits in one place for the first time.
A carers’ charter will be published, setting out carer’s rights and entitlements.
Additionally, the government will require employers with more than 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.
