The Department for Health and Social Care has announced that it is delivering its Accelerating Reform Fund, which will focus on trialling and expanding new approaches to providing care and support and improving services to support unpaid carers.

The department has committed to invest up to an additional £25 million to support unpaid carers, intended to fund projects that meet the following objectives:

• ensure people have choice, control and support to live independent lives
• people can receive outstanding quality and tailored care and support
• people find adult social care fair and accessible.

Responding, Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said:

“We’re pleased that the £25 million committed to unpaid carers is now in play - it will be vital in helping to establish and spread innovative and supportive local practices that support unpaid carers’ needs.

“With an estimated 12,000 people a day becoming unpaid carers, and a rise in the numbers providing more than 50 hours of care each week, this funding is really necessary. We hope it paves the way forward for longer-term innovation and support that is focused on unpaid carers’ unique needs for support.

“We recognise that this funding, like the other sources of money in the White Paper on social care, comes to an end in March 2025. We need to see a plan for how social care will be financially supported beyond that date.

“Clear direction for the future of sustainable social care funding, which deals effectively with the pressures and challenges that social care services are under, is essential for local authorities and services to be able to plan. Families also need this certainty so they can be confident that the support they need to maintain their health and wellbeing, stay in paid employment, and lead a positive life will be in place.”