Track The Act 

The latest Track The Act report marks almost ten years since the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 came into force. The Act was designed to strengthen the rights of unpaid carers in Wales, giving them access to information and advice, Carer’s Needs Assessments, and support to help them sustain healthy and fulfilling lives. Despite pockets of good practice across Wales, the evidence in this year’s Track The Act report shows that the Act is still far from successfully implemented and that many carers are not receiving sufficient support to enable them to live healthy, happy lives alongside their caring roles. 

Key Messages 

• A postcode lottery continues to define carers’ experiences, with major inconsistencies in identification, assessment, support, and terminology across local authorities and health boards. 

• Demand for support far exceeds capacity. Many local authorities and health boards report systems under extreme pressure. 

• Despite best intentions and systems in place to provide mitigation, there remains a level of disconnect between local authorities and health boards in parts of Wales with regard to support for carers. 

• Data collection relating to unpaid carers locally and regionally is inconsistent and – in some instances – very limited. Improvements must be made in data gathering regarding unpaid care and this must be coordinated to provide a level of clarity across Wales. 

• Wales relies heavily on unpaid care—worth over £10 billion annually—and without greater support for unpaid carers, pressure on the health and social care system will overwhelm services.