Written question WQ96609

I recognise the essential support unpaid carers provide to family and friends and it is vital they have the recognition and resources they need to maintain their own well-being.

We are currently working closely with senior leaders in local authorities and health boards to ensure carers find it easier to access information and advice at the earliest stages of their caring journey and have their own support needs assessed where this is appropriate. I am overseeing progress through our Ministerial Advisory Group for Unpaid Carers.

We also provide support through:

• our Short Breaks Scheme, which is in addition to the statutory requirements on local authorities to provide support for unpaid carers, including respite;

• the Carers Support Fund; Both these schemes have the additional benefit of being a gateway to other support services: significant as half of those accessing schemes are previously unknown to services;

• requiring at least 5% of the Regional Integration Fund to be spent by Regional Partnership Boards on carers support services with £1 million is ringfenced for health boards to provide advice and information services for carers in hospital settings;

• currently running a social media campaign to encourage young carers to seek support and working with local authorities and education to boost uptake of Young Carer ID cards and consider improved means of identifying and supporting young carers within education;

• supporting third sector organisations to deliver national programmes for carers on our behalf.

We will publish a new National Strategy for Unpaid Carers in Spring 2026. We are currently engaging with stakeholders to inform a draft strategy which will go to public consultation toward the end of this year. This will ensure our actions and policy drivers continue to be targeted at the areas of improvement of most importance to unpaid carers.