Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is available for carers of people with dementia; and whether his Department has plans to (a) review and (b) increase funding for that support.

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 of people with dementia.

However, the Government also recognises the scale of the reforms needed in social care. That is why we will engage widely with a range of stakeholders, including unpaid carers, to ensure their voices are heard as we develop plans to create a National Care Service.

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service is also clear that a fresh approach to supporting and involving unpaid carers is required to improve outcomes for carers, people needing care, and the NHS.

We will carefully consider these findings as part of our 10-year plan for reforming and modernising the NHS and as we develop plans to reform adult social care, including through the National Care Service.