New strategy sets out support for unpaid carers in Plymouth
A new city-wide strategy is aiming to improve the lives of more than 23,000 people in Plymouth who care for others without being paid.
Unpaid carers look after family or friends who need help and support due to illness, disability, mental health conditions or addiction. This includes young carers, who are under the age of 18.
The 2021 census identified 23,956 unpaid carers living in Plymouth, with 44 per cent providing up to 19 hours of unpaid care per week. The 2024 school census also found 730 young carers across both primary and secondary schools.
While caring can be rewarding and often a really important part of family life, it can have a big impact on carers’ lives, affecting their health, wellbeing, relationships, education and finances.
Plymouth City Council has worked collaboratively with Improving Lives Plymouth, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, NHS Devon, Livewell Southwest and St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth to develop a new ‘All-Age Unpaid Carers Strategy’, in recognition of the important role carers play in supporting the wider health and care system throughout their lives.
The key priorities set out in the strategy are to:
· Make it easier for unpaid carers to get the support they need
· Help unpaid carers access financial information and advice
· Improve unpaid carers’ health and wellbeing, including providing emotional support
· Help identify unpaid carers early and recognise their hard work
· Provide better information, advice and communication to carers
· Offer support when a carer’s role changes or ends.
The strategy has been developed with feedback from carers, who told us about the need for better access to a full range of support services. It reflects Plymouth’s commitment to providing carers with the resources, flexibility, and understanding they need to balance their caring responsibilities with their personal well-being.
Carers can face significant challenges in making sure their own needs are supported, navigating complex healthcare and social care systems, and receiving help which is joined up and responsive.
Councillor Mary Aspinall, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “Unpaid carers play an invaluable role in our communities, often under immense emotional, physical and logistical strain, and they deserve our respect, understanding, and concrete support.
“This strategy has been developed by listening to our carers to understand their needs and will ensure we respond with actions that make a tangible difference in their lives. As a group of health, social care and community partners we are committed to making a difference and to supporting carers as they care for others.”
The Carers Strategic Partnership Board will monitor and review progress of the strategy and continue to identify areas for improvement, using carers’ feedback and by monitoring the number of carers accessing services.
See the new All-Age Unpaid Carers Strategy at: https://www.plymouthonlinedirectory.com/caringforotherpeople/carersstrategy
If you are over 18 and care for a family member or friend, you can find support from Improving Lives Plymouth: www.improvinglivesplymouth.org.uk/our-services/caring-for-carers
Young carers under the age of 18 can find more support from the city’s Young Carers Support Hub: www.plymouthonlinedirectory.com/childrenandfamilies/plymouthyoungcarers.
