About Carers Week
Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support. Carers Week is led by Carers UK with the support of a number of other charities.
Carers Week 2023: 'Recognising and supporting carers in the community'
The theme for Carers Week 2023 was 'Recognising and supporting carers in the community'.
This Carers Week, we called on communities across the UK to come together to recognise the huge contribution unpaid carers make to society. Politicians, employers, health and social services, businesses, education providers and members of the public all have a role to play in raising awareness of caring and making sure carers are able to access the information and support they need.
SAVE THE DATE: Carers Week 2024 has been announced for Monday 10 - Sunday 16 June 2024
Get involved
We all have a role to play in recognising and supporting carers in the community, whether it's by providing support to a member of your local community group or connecting with a family member or friend who is caring for someone.
You can find out more about Carers Week and how to get involved at carersweek.org
Carers Week 2023 campaign: Cross-Government action to identify and support carers
Millions of people across the UK care unpaid for family and friends who have a disability, illness, mental health condition or need extra help as they grow older. Their support is crucial, but often comes at a cost to their health and financial resilience.
In many cases, unpaid carers aren’t supported to recognise their caring role quickly enough, meaning they miss out on the financial, practical and emotional support available. This intensifies the impact of providing care, with carers missing out on benefits and entitlements, while others are forced to give up work altogether.
We need a whole system approach to identifying and supporting unpaid carers. Governments, local authorities, commissioners and providers, employers, and family and friends must play their part in identifying and supporting them. Carers Week is a vital opportunity to raise awareness of unpaid carers within our communities.
The charities supporting Carers Week 2023 called on the UK Government to deliver coordinated cross-Government action to better identify and support unpaid carers. This action would focus on helping carers to stay in or return to work, prevent poverty, combat loneliness, improve carers’ health and wellbeing and improve equality of opportunity.