The £5 million Carers Innovation
Fund will invest in innovative ways of supporting
unpaid carers, outside of mainstream health and care
services.
This funding will be used to improve support across the
country and help build more carer-friendly communities.
Examples of the kind of projects the fund would invest in
include:
- technology platforms – for example, to help carers to
take a break from their caring responsibilities
- support groups – like carers’ cafes and Men’s Sheds,
which develop peer support groups and offer short courses
to help reduce isolation
Projects will be expected to show a positive effect on:
- carers’ health and wellbeing
- carers’ ability to manage work alongside caring
responsibilities
- carers’ ability to take a break from their caring role
- reducing loneliness and social isolation
Applicants will need to demonstrate their idea is a fresh
approach that is better than existing provision, will
benefit the local community and can be expanded and
replicated.
The voluntary sector, charities, SMEs and commercial
organisations can all bid for funding to prove their
concept, with the aim of securing longer term funding from
other sources.
Carers and other experts will sit on the evaluation panel
to make sure proposals are feasible.
The fund was first announced last year as part of
the Carers Action
Plan, a cross-government programme of targeted work to
support unpaid carers over the next 2 years. Initially the
fund was worth half a million pounds. However, funding was
later increased to £5 million.
The NHS is also working to better identify and support
carers across England, as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
Minister for Care, , said:
Informal care is a fundamental part of our health and
care system, which would not be sustainable without the
incredible contribution of carers across the country. But
we cannot take them for granted and must do more to
protect their wellbeing and ensure they can enjoy full
lives.
This £5 million investment will help build our
understanding of the kinds of support that work for
carers, outside of traditional healthcare services. From
cafes that bring carers together, to innovative forms of
technology that help carers enjoy time off, I want to see
a range of exciting projects boosted and their benefits
unlocked.
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:
There’s never been a more important time to develop and
accelerate new ways to support unpaid carers.
Many more of us are taking on unpaid caring
responsibilities for family and friends, often alongside
paid work or raising children. We are also seeing the
amount and complexity of care increasing.
As we live and work longer, with technology transforming
so many aspects of our lives, it’s time to innovate to
support the way families are living today.
