Information for professionals

Why supporting carers is so important

Carers play a vital role in supporting the NHS and social care systems.

• 4.7 million people provide unpaid care in England, with 1.4 million people caring for over 50 hours a week.
• Unpaid carers outnumber the paid health and care workforce by 2 to 1 in England.
• The support given by unpaid carers in England every year is worth £152 billion - the equivalent of what is spent on the NHS in England.

Caring is a social determinant of health - a non-medical factor that can affect a person’s health and wellbeing.

• 49% of unpaid carers who provide substantial care report at least one adverse health effect due to providing care.
• 27% of carers say their mental health is ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’, and 82% say the impact of caring on their physical and mental health will be a challenge over the next year (Carers UK’s State of Caring survey 2024)

Overall, many carers are not currently getting the support they are entitled to under the Care Act 2014, with 23% saying care services are not currently meeting their needs.

How Health and Social Care professionals can support unpaid carers 

It is very common for people who are providing unpaid care not to realise that they are a carer. This can mean that they are missing out on crucial support. Health care professionals can play an important role in supporting someone to identify themselves as a carer.

Our page on the rights of unpaid carers explains that professionals have a legal duty to ensure unpaid carers receive the support they are entitled to under the law. This includes:

• identifying and recognising carers
• encouraging carers to register as a carer with their GP
• offering timely and relevant information
• connecting carers to local and national support services
• supporting access to a Carer’s Assessment
• involving carers in key decisions about their loved ones.

This guide from the Carers Trust and Carers UK details more about how to effectively identify and support unpaid carers as a health and social care professional.

How employers can support unpaid carers

Around 5 million people juggle work and care in the UK. That’s 1 in 7 in every workplace - and this figure looks likely to increase. It is difficult for many to balance work and caring, and 1 in 6 carers reduce their hours or give up work completely due to their caring responsibilities. 

Our page on the rights of unpaid carers explains that employers have a legal duty to support unpaid carers by making reasonable adjustments to enable them to continue their caring responsibilities.

• time off for emergencies
• requests for flexible working
• protection from discrimination
• up to five days’ unpaid carer’s leave.

As well as these adjustments, there are many other ways employers can make a difference in their organisation, such as:

• proactively recognising and supporting unpaid carers - many of whom may not see themselves as a carer
• establishing an unpaid carers network to enable carers to feel connected and supported as part of a community at work
• actively keeping up to date with the support available to unpaid carers in Gloucestershire and signposting employees to support
• referring or supporting employees to register as an unpaid carer with Gloucestershire Carers Hub, where they can access local information and have a Carer’s Assessment.

Where to signpost unpaid carers for support

The following organisations provide support for unpaid carers in Gloucestershire.