Over 5 million unpaid carers in England and Wales provide the majority of care, yet many face worsening health, lost income, and social isolation as a result. This 38-month study examines whether the Better Care Fund—a major government funding stream—actually helps local authorities deliver the integrated, multi-part support that carers say they need. The problem is that carer support is often fragmented, varies wildly by location, and rarely accounts for a carer’s ethnicity, finances, or caring situation. The researchers will survey 800 carers, run focus groups, analyse national data, and interview practitioners to find out which combinations of support—such as respite, financial advice, or training—improve carers’ health, employment, and ability to keep caring. If successful, the findings could reshape how local authorities commission carer support, making it more consistent and fair. The outputs—policy briefings, case studies, and guides for carers—are designed to be used immediately by commissioners and practitioners. This is applied research with a direct route to changing how public money is spent on the people who keep the care system running.
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Unpaid carers are core to current care provision, comprising the majority of care provided, and numbering over 5 million in England and Wales. Effectively supporting carers is crucial because of the well-documented negative impacts at higher levels of caring on their employment, finances, health and social participation. Carers often express the need for more integrated, multifaceted support for themselves and the person they care for and integration is a policy and practice priority. One of the main ways of funding and delivering such support in England is through the Better Care Fund (BCF). Our 38-month study aims to explore: To what extent and how does the BCF contribute to improving availability of and access to combinations of carer support that can contribute to improving carers lives, reducing health and care inequalities, and enabling fairness and reach? To what extent and how does the BCF contribute to integrative working, commissioning, decision-making around support for carers and a fair and accessible support offer for unpaid carers? Which combinations of carer support are associated with improving carers outcomes and/or preventing negative outcomes? How do the packages of carer support offered in local authorities vary within and between local authority and local authority type and characteristics? Methods are: Focus groups with carers, practitioners, and carer and other organisations and a review of the evidence on which combinations of support might be helpful for carers and what would be important areas of carers lives for support to address A longitudinal survey with 800 carers and interviews with 8-10 carers in four local authority areas to investigate what combinations of support are received and how this is are associated with changes in carers health, employment, and other areas of their lives; whether the support offer varies by where carers live, their ethnic background, financial situation, or their caring situation; and the role of receiving or not receiving support in whether carers are still caring or not at the second survey data collection time point Secondary analysis of national data on the relationship between combinations of support and carers outcomes Interviews with practitioners making decisions about BCF funding for carers support about how funding is allocated in local areas and what works well to deliver integrated, multifaceted support that works well for carers A mapping of how carer support vary across the country. By understanding what models work for integrated carer support and the role of BCF for carers in enabling this, our study aims to inform policy and practice around improving carers support and integration. To achieve this impact, outputs will be tailored to specific target audiences, and developed, designed, and produced with the public involvement group of carers. Outputs from the study will include interim and final findings short reports and e-bulletins with policy and practice implications; policy briefings; case studies of good practice examples; workshops; knowledge sharing events in different areas of the country and presentations of findings at other events; infographics; and information guides for carers.
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