For the first time, Carers UK is bringing together its two flagship conferences – Future of Work and State of Caring – to explore key questions for carers and those who support them in a changing and challenging world.
Experts and leaders across different sectors will address critical issues facing policy makers, employers and service providers and consider new thinking, trends and ways of working to help make life better for the UK’s 5.8 million carers. This combined in-person event will enable a mix of interactive participation in plenary and breakout sessions alongside an opportunity for informal networking with expert peers.
Whether you are a policy maker, commissioner, employer, or service provider, this new-look conference is for you.
For more details please contact [email protected]
Programme
The pressures on carers have never been greater, whilst a rapidly changing world brings with it both challenges and opportunities. The State of Caring Conference 2026 will explore topical issues in the areas of service support and workplace support with additional crossover themes.
Topics will include:
- Population health
- Building the UK workforce for the future
- Reform of social care
- Transforming work and unpaid care across the lifecourse
- Making work pay for unpaid carers
- Care services supporting employment
- Using data, digital and tech to support carers.
Conference chair: Jane Hill
Jane has been a broadcast journalist for more than 30 years, and now presents the BBC News at Six and Ten on BBC1, as well as The World Tonight on Radio 4.
Outside the newsroom, she is passionate about health & fitness and the arts - she's a committed parkrunner, occasional half marathoner, and a lifelong theatre goer. She has featured many times on the annual Pride Power List and supports a number of charities, particularly in the field of health.
She has a long association with Parkinson’s UK, because both her father and uncle lived with the condition for many years.
Keynote speakers
Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB, Chair of the Independent Commission for Adult Social Care
Having been appointed to lead an independent Commission on adult social care for the Government, over the past year, Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB has been speaking to unpaid carers, people using care, people providing care, local authorities and health bodies across England about their experiences of care.
The first phase of the Commission, due to report in 2026, will set out the plan for how to implement a National Care Service, a government manifesto commitment. This will include tangible, pragmatic recommendations that can be implemented in a phased way over a decade. The second phase will then make longer term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care, reporting back by 2028.
This will look at how services must be organised and discuss alternative models that could be considered in future to deliver a fair and affordable adult care system. We are delighted to have her join us to share her thoughts about this critical review.
Kate Dearden MP, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection at the Department for Business and Trade
Kate Dearden MP is responsible for key areas of legislation and workplace policies in relation to unpaid carers; including, unpaid carer's leave, flexible working, time off for dependents – all vital policies which give around 2.5 million employees with unpaid caring responsibilities specific employment rights.
With a flexible working consultation underway, plus a review of employment rights for unpaid carers, the Minister will be talking about the Government's direction of travel. The Minister is also part of cross-Government work on unpaid carers and will also be touching on other Department's work including the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Sir Charlie Mayfield, Lead Reviewer, Keep Britain Working Independent Review
Sir Charlie Mayfield led the Keep Britain Working Review, and is now continuing to lead work alongside the Government and vanguard employers and regions to examine how employers can best recruit and retain more people with health conditions and disabled people; promote healthy and inclusive workplaces, and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence.
Sir Charlie is also founder and chairman of Be the Business and the Productivity Leadership Group, which focus on stimulating and encouraging competitiveness and growth in businesses across the UK, and Chairman of QA Limited, a training and skills technology and IT solutions provider. Prior to this, he was appointed Chairman of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills in November 2010.
Sir Charlie became the John Lewis Partnership’s fifth Chairman in March 2007 and remained in role until 2020.
Breakout session chairs
Chris Badger, Chief Inspector for Social Care, Care Quality Commission
Dr Mike Brewer, Deputy Chief Executive, Resolution Foundation
Dr Neil Churchill OBE, Director of People and Communities, NHS England
Kate Evans, Chief People Officer for EMEPAC, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Professor Dr Claire Fuller, Medical Director for Primary Care, Professional Standards and Lists Reporting
Professor Kate Hamblin, Director of Centre for Care, University of Sheffield
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation
Helen Walker, Chief Executive, Carers UK
Janet Williamson, Head of Corporate Governance and Collective Bargaining, Trades Union Congress
Conference sponsor
This conference is kindly supported by The Centre for Care.
Venue
This year's conference will be held at BMA House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JP
Cancellation policy
All cancellations must be made in writing or by email and must be received no later than 2 April 2026 (refund requests within the required period of notice will be subject to a £30 administration fee).
After this date the full fee remains payable, but you can send an alternative delegate provided you confirm this in writing or by email before the day of the conference.
Please get in touch at [email protected]
