The Queen’s Speech 2017 included a number of priority areas with the capacity to affect carers’ lives positively, if the right measures are taken.

The research report presents key findings on how the public feels and thinks about caring; if carers are sufficiently valued by society, how likely they are to take on the role of a carer and their main worries about becoming a carer.

The NHS Mandate for 2017/18 has better inclusion of carers as well as keeping the same provision as 2016/17. Whilst Carers UK is please with more mainstreaming of carers’ issues in the document, we also believe that there is a missed opportunity to ensure that carers are not more firmly embedded into the requirements for a more modern NHS. When the new Government forms in June, we want the process for 20118/19 for the NHS to look at more robust and systematic ways of identifying and supporting carers.

Carers UK launched Carers Manifesto for the General Election

Without the contribution of the UK’s growing number of unpaid carers, valued at £132 billion per year, our health and care systems would not be able to meet the health needs of our population.