Carers Trust

Carers Trust
Name	Carers Trust
Type	Charity
Founded	2012
Headquarters	London, England
Region served	United Kingdom
Leader title	Chief Executive
Leader name	Helen Walker

Carers Trust is a United Kingdom charity supporting unpaid carers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It provides direct services, builds networks of support organizations, and advocates in national and local forums to influence policy affecting carers. The organization partners with health and social care institutions, voluntary groups, and academic bodies to deliver respite, training, and information services.

History

The organization emerged from a 2012 merger between two established entities with roots in the 20th century: Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care. Its formation followed policy shifts influenced by reports such as the Carers Strategy reviews and legislative developments like the Care Act 2014. Early governance included trustees with experience in charities linked to Age UK, Barnardo's, Mind (charity), RNIB, and Scope (charity). The charity has engaged with inquiries including evidence submissions to committees such as the Public Accounts Committee and collaborations with research centres at London School of Economics, King's College London, University of Manchester, and University of York. High-profile supporters and patrons have included figures associated with the Royal Family and leaders who have worked with organizations like Help the Aged and Citizens Advice.

Mission and Activities

Its mission frames unpaid carers as central to the National Health Service and wider welfare systems, aiming to improve identification, support and recognition of carers. Activities span direct service delivery, capacity building for smaller charities such as local Citizens Advice Bureau branches, and strategic partnerships with statutory bodies including NHS England and devolved administrations like the Welsh Government and Scottish Government. The charity engages with professional networks including Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of General Practitioners, and local authorities represented through bodies such as the Local Government Association. It also works alongside campaigning organizations like Carers UK, Age Concern, Fairbairn House, and advocacy projects connected to Equality and Human Rights Commission themes.

Programs and Services

Programs include respite and short-break initiatives developed with partners such as Crossroads Care affiliates, peer support networks modelled on approaches used by Mind (charity) and Samaritans, and training programs delivered in conjunction with academic partners at University College London and Oxford Brookes University. Services provide information and advice similar to offerings by Citizens Advice, welfare rights collaborations like Turn2us, and employment support linked to Department for Work and Pensions policy guidance. Digital resources and toolkits draw on models from Nesta innovation projects and involve collaborations with technology partners that have supported charities like Shelter (charity) and Royal Voluntary Service. Targeted programs support carers of people with conditions including Alzheimer's Society-aligned dementia care, Parkinson's UK-related neurodegenerative conditions, and services for young carers echoing practices used by Children's Society and Barnardo's.

Campaigns and Advocacy

Advocacy work includes campaigns to secure recognition in legislation such as the Care Act 2014 and influence funding allocations within settlements debated at institutions like the Treasury (United Kingdom). The organization has coordinated awareness initiatives timed with international observances including Carers Week and collaborated with media partners including outlets like the BBC and The Guardian to raise public visibility. It has submitted evidence to inquiries conducted by bodies such as the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee and worked with parliamentary groups including the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Carers. Campaign alliances have included charities such as Turn2us, Scope (charity), Age UK, Mind (charity), and YoungMinds to press for reforms in areas intersecting with the Children Act 1989 and employment protections under statutes like the Equality Act 2010.

Structure and Funding

The organization is governed by a trustee board drawing on expertise from sectors represented by institutions such as Royal College of Psychiatrists, Institute of Directors, and corporate partners historically engaged with philanthropy like Barclays and Big Lottery Fund. Funding mixes grants from trusts and foundations including the National Lottery Community Fund, contracts with public bodies such as NHS England and local authorities, and donations from corporate supporters linked to firms familiar to charities like BT Group and Tesco through community programmes. It operates via a network model with local delivery partners including regional charities affiliated with Crossroads Care and independent groups similar to Age UK branches, while monitoring compliance with regulatory bodies such as the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Impact and Evaluation

Independent evaluations have involved academic collaborators at University of York's Social Policy Research Unit and impact assessments using frameworks promoted by organizations like NCVO and Nesta. Reported outcomes include improved carer wellbeing measured in studies using instruments adopted by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, increased access to respite comparable to models from Alzheimer's Society pilots, and strengthened local capacity in networks akin to those developed by Royal Voluntary Service. The charity’s work features in policy analyses published by think tanks such as King's Fund, Institute for Public Policy Research, and Social Market Foundation, with metrics tracked against national datasets maintained by Office for National Statistics and health data collated by NHS Digital. Overall evaluations cite contributions to service innovation, partnership development, and advocacy that have influenced debates across public bodies like the Department of Health and Social Care.

Category:Health charities in the United Kingdom