Dawn Bowden, MS, Minister for Children and Social Care
This Government recognises and values the huge contribution made by unpaid carers through the care they provide to their family and friends. We published the Strategy for Unpaid Carers in 2021, which sets out the following national priorities:
- Identifying and valuing unpaid carers
- Providing information, advice and assistance
- Supporting life alongside caring
- Supporting unpaid carers in education and the workplace.
Our annual report sets out the progress made against the strategy in the period January 2024 - March 2025 (Unpaid carers delivery plan annual report 2024 | GOV.WALES)
It describes our collective achievements working with local authorities, local health boards, the third sector and unpaid carers. This includes:
- Delivery of 20,000 short breaks for carers via the Welsh Government Short Breaks Fund (April 2024-March 2025)
- Support of 11,600 unpaid carers through the Welsh Government Carers Support Fund (April 2024-March 2025)
We are very pleased to note both schemes have significantly exceeded targets for delivery.
We aimed to deliver 30,000 short breaks in the period 2022-25. While we are still confirming numbers for this period, the delivery of 20,000 short breaks in the final year alone means many more unpaid carers than originally forecast received a break from this scheme. This is extremely positive as I know how important it is for carers to have a break from their caring role.
We also know the financial challenges facing many carers. I am delighted our Carers Support Fund has provided 29,000 carers on low incomes with a grant to make an essential purchase in 2022-25, almost double the target of 15,000. This scheme also provides more sustained impact through providing financial information and benefit advice.
We are grateful to Carers Trust Wales who have managed these schemes on our behalf and to local authorities and local carers groups who have ensured delivery. Half of the carers accessing the schemes were not previously known to services and can be signposted to other support available.
It is vital we continue to focus our efforts on what carers identify as the main priorities for them, and where we will have the most impact. We are working with unpaid carers and other stakeholders to draft a new National Strategy for Unpaid Carers. This will be the subject of public consultation later this year and be published in Spring 2026.