Carers UK

Carers UK
Name	Carers UK
Formation	1965
Type	Charity
Headquarters	London, England
Region served	United Kingdom
Purpose	Support for unpaid carers

Carers UK is a British charity that provides information, advice, advocacy and support for unpaid carers across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Founded in the mid-20th century, it operates alongside charities, statutory bodies and advocacy groups to influence legislation, social policy and public awareness concerning caregiving. The organisation works with volunteer networks, professional advisers and research partners to deliver services, campaigns and policy analysis.

History

The organisation traces roots to grassroots campaigns and welfare movements that emerged after World War II, linking to influences such as the National Health Service reforms and postwar social welfare debates. Early development overlapped with charities and institutions like Help the Aged, Citizens Advice, Royal Voluntary Service, and advocacy by figures associated with the Beveridge Report. During the 1970s and 1980s it engaged with parliamentary processes exemplified by interaction with members of the House of Commons, committees of the House of Lords, and activists connected to the Equal Opportunities Commission. In subsequent decades, strategic alignment occurred with organizations including Age UK, Scope, Macmillan Cancer Support, Alzheimer's Society, RNIB, and Mencap. The charity adapted through policy shifts such as the introduction of Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996, welfare reforms debated alongside the Welfare Reform Act 2012, and devolution developments in the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd, and Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mission and Activities

The charity’s stated mission emphasizes support for unpaid carers, advocacy for carers’ rights, and research to influence policymakers and public services. Activities intersect with statutory agencies like Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, Public Health England, and devolved institutions such as NHS Scotland, Health and Social Care Northern Ireland, and Welsh Government. It collaborates with trade unions such as UNISON and GMB (trade union) and engages employers through frameworks similar to those promoted by Acas. Public campaigns have referenced high-profile events and figures tied to media coverage in outlets like BBC News, The Guardian, The Times, Channel 4, and Sky News.

Services and Support Programs

Provision includes helplines, digital resources, and local support networks delivered in partnership with voluntary organisations such as Carers Trust, Crossroads Care, Daycare Trust, and local branches of Age Concern and Citizens Advice Bureau. Practical services connect carers to clinical and social pathways involving NHS Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Integrated Care Systems, and third-sector providers such as Sue Ryder and Turn2us. Training and workplace advice link to employer bodies like the Confederation of British Industry and professional bodies including the Royal College of Nursing and British Medical Association. Programmes often reference legal frameworks such as the Care Act 2014, Children and Families Act 2014, and rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Policy, Campaigning, and Research

Campaign work addresses statutory entitlements, social security benefits, respite care, and workplace rights through engagement with legislators across the House of Commons, House of Lords, and devolved assemblies. Research collaborations have involved academic institutions including University College London, London School of Economics, University of Manchester, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Bristol, King's College London, Newcastle University, University of Birmingham, and think tanks such as the Institute for Public Policy Research and The King's Fund. Campaigns have paralleled national movements and inquiries involving the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Public Accounts Committee, and high-profile reports by organisations like Age UK and Alzheimer's Society. The charity’s evidence has been cited in consultations around social policy changes, welfare reviews, and health system reforms linked to crises referenced in policy debates, including responses to pandemics coordinated with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Organisation and Governance

The organisation is governed by a trustee board and executive leadership responsible for strategy, finance, and delivery, operating within UK charity law overseen by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and comparable regulators in Scotland and Northern Ireland, such as the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Senior leadership liaises with sector networks including National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Voluntary Service Overseas, and regional umbrella bodies like SCVO and WCVA. Recruitment, safeguarding and compliance align with standards from bodies such as Disclosure and Barring Service and policy guidance from NHS England and professional regulators including the General Medical Council.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include public donations, grants from foundations such as the National Lottery Community Fund, trusts like the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, contracts with local authorities and health commissioners, and partnerships with corporations under workplace giving schemes similar to those run by Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Tesco, and Sainsbury's. Collaborative projects have received support from UK government programmes and philanthropic institutions including the Big Lottery Fund and international foundations analogous to the Wellcome Trust and Ford Foundation for research partnerships. Strategic partnerships extend to organisations such as Carers Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support, Age UK, Alzheimer's Society, Scope, and NHS bodies for joint delivery of services, pilot projects, and advocacy campaigns.

Category:Charities based in the United Kingdom Category:Health in the United Kingdom Category:Social care in the United Kingdom