Industry News | Jun 01, 2026 | 4 Comments |
Carers Week – Building Carer Friendly Communities
Carers Week: Building Carer Friendly Communities
The theme for Carers’ Week, which runs from 8th – 14th June 2026, is all about supporting unpaid carers to live fulfilling lives, by building carer friendly communities.
The annual awareness campaign shines a spotlight on the millions of unpaid carers across the UK who support family members, friends and neighbours who are older, disabled, ill or living with mental health conditions.
Organisers say the aim this year is to encourage communities, organisations and services to become more carer friendly by recognising carers, understanding the realities of caring and offering practical support.
Why does it matter?
There are an estimated 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK. Their contribution has been valued at around £184 billion a year, yet many carers struggle with poor health, financial pressures, social isolation and difficulties balancing work and caring responsibilities.
Research from Carers UK has found that more than half of carers feel overwhelmed often or always, highlighting the importance of ensuring support is available within local communities.
Key facts about unpaid carers
- There are around 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK.
- Unpaid care is estimated to contribute £184 billion to the UK economy each year.
- More than half of carers report feeling overwhelmed often or always.
- Carers Week 2026 runs from 8–14 June.
- This year’s theme is Building Carer Friendly Communities.
What is a carer friendly community?
According to Carers Week, a carer friendly community is one where unpaid carers are recognised, understood and valued.
This could include:
• GP practices and pharmacies helping to identify carers and signpost support.
• Employers offering flexible working arrangements.
• Schools and colleges recognising young carers.
• Community groups helping carers stay connected and avoid isolation.
• Local services making it easier for carers to access information and assistance.
Even small changes can make a significant difference to carers’ daily lives.
How can you get involved?
Carers Week encourages everyone to play a part in creating more supportive communities. This might involve:
• Checking whether someone you know has caring responsibilities.
• Learning about local support services.
• Supporting carers in your workplace or organisation.
• Raising awareness of the challenges carers face.
• Taking time to ask carers how they are managing and listening to their experiences.
How to find support
If you provide unpaid care for a relative, friend or neighbour, help may be available through your local carers’ organisation, local authority or NHS services.
Carers Week is also an opportunity for people who do not identify themselves as carers to recognise the support they provide and seek advice, information and practical assistance.
You can read more on the website carersweek.org (external link will open in a new browser tab or window)
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Further reading and resources
We have an area with resources for carers here
Carers Week annual report 2026
The Cost of Caring – Carers UK Report
Unpaid carers and care professionals often work hand-in-hand
The Carents Room warns of crisis for NHS caused by carers’ ill-health
APPG calls for National Carers Strategy
Manifesto for equitable healthcare from National Voices
Carers in Scotland receive more financial support than those in the rest of the UK
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4 Replies to “Carers Week – Building Carer Friendly Communities”
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A large proportion of those cared for by unpaid carers are denied CHC funding despite being severely disabled by progressive conditions such as PSP & MOTOR NEURONE disease and many more .
Continuing health care teams seem to do their very best to deny this funding leaving the person with disabilities and carers to get on with it .So carers health suffers also, both physically and mentally .
Living with the trauma after the death of the sick/disabled is lifelong, feeling more could have been done and precious time with loved ones wasted fighting the NHS for funding that is supposed to help ease the burden of care .The NSF for continuing health cars funding is disregarded outrageously and no one seems able to stop the NHS teams playing God with the budget they receive -their departments are obviously kept going and are very expensive as highly paid NHS nurse assessors who often soend less than 90 minutes with the patient
Hi. I’m 85 and multiply disabled. My wife at 83, is my carer. Reading your article, I called her and said: “If you swallowed your pride, do you realise you could get £76odd Carer’s Allowance.” She came back at me with: “Look, clever clogs, I can’t get that because I’m a pensioner!”
Is that right, and if so, why is it not mentioned in your article?
Hello Mike
Thank you for asking – it is a useful question, particularly as so many carers are older people. Our article about Carers Allowance is here: https://www.independentliving.co.uk/advice/carers-allowance-ca/. It is also linked within the article above.
The situation is, as always, not entirely straightforward. If your wife’s pension is less than £76.75 a week, then she can receive Carers Allowance, as long as you are receiving one of the qualifying disability benefits. But it is always worth checking carefully – your benefits might go down in consequence. I suggest that you use an online benefit calculator to make sure that both of you are claiming everything you are entitled to. this one is reliable: https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk (external link will open in a new browser tab or window)
Best wishes, Frances
Think about attendance allowance and good luck?