The review echoes the findings of a Carers UK survey of over 6,000 carers*, published earlier this year, where carers reported numerous barriers to getting an assessment of their needs, as well as the assessments in themselves not being fit for purpose.

Emily Holzhausen OBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK, gave evidence to the review. In response to today’s report, she said:

“The Care Act is a vital piece of legislation, for the first time giving carers the same right to support as the person they care for. Today’s review echoes what carers are telling us – they are still not getting the support they need to provide care without harming their own health or putting their life on hold.

“It also reinforces our own findings that instead of benefitting from coordinated support, carers are more often than not facing barriers to getting an assessment of their needs, as well as finding the assessment itself is not fit for purpose.

“The review further highlighted how many carers are still unaware of their new rights and that more must be done to reach out with advice and support to people that are caring. If the Care Act is to deliver its promise to carers, the Government must ensure that the historic underfunding of social care is reversed and sufficient funding is in place to enable local authorities and health bodies to work together to better identify, inform and support carers making the rights in the Care Act a reality for all.

“Caring is not an issue we can afford to ignore. At a time of political uncertainty, it is vital that the Government’s new Carers’ Strategy remains on track to ensure that caring, and the issues that matter most to carers, are at the heart of national and local Government policies, programmes and legislation.”

Read the full report here