Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help prevent social isolation of carers.

We want to ensure that people who care for family and friends are better able to look after their own health and wellbeing.

Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers. Additionally, the Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for unpaid carer support, including short breaks and respite services for carers.

Social prescribing can also work well for those who are socially isolated or whose wellbeing is being impacted by non-medical issues, and routinely present to primary or secondary care as a result.

The Department worked with NHS England and the Carers Partnership to produce a social prescribing summary document that was disseminated to local carer organisations in March 2023. This aimed to help upskill staff at carer organisations on social prescribing as an intervention for loneliness, and to increase unpaid carer health and wellbeing.