Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to create more (a) respite and (b) care services for unpaid carers to allow them take regular breaks from their caring duties.

The white paper ‘People at the Heart of Care’ states that we will invest up to £25 million to improve the services provided to unpaid carers, which could include respite, breaks, peer group and wellbeing support.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to provide services which meet the needs of the local population, including carers. Funding for respite and short breaks for carers is included in the Better Care Fund. The BCF Framework for 2022/23 will be published shortly and will request that local BCF partnerships set out how funding is being used to support unpaid carers. In addition, we have written to local authorities to reiterate the importance of day services and respite for carers and to encourage authorities to access the funding available.