The carers' covenant

Based on the findings from research, this report makes recommendations provide better support for carers. The 12 policy recommendations cover five key themes of financial assistance, employment, identification and support, support networks and technology. Together, the policies together form a covenant for carers. The research looked at who informal carers are and the amount of care they provide, explored the experience of informal carers through two focus groups, and looked at the support available for carers internationally. The research found that the number of informal carers and the amount of care they provide has increased in recent years; that carers are often extremely stretched and overworked as a result of their responsibilities; and that the UK lags behind eight other countries examined for their support for carers - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy and Japan. It makes recommendations which aim to deliver greater financial security for informal carers, give them a better work/life balance, help ensure that carers are better identified, improve carers' access to peer support, and ensure that better use is made of the potential of technology to support carers. The recommendations include the introduction of a new Universal Carer’s Income for all carers providing more than 35 hours a week.