Unpaid carers ‘feel increasingly socially isolated and unsupported in roles’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Unpaid carers are feeling increasingly socially isolated, stressed, depressed and not encouraged or supported in their roles, new NHS figures show. Fewer carers are able to take a break from caring for more than 24 hours and fewer have received support from social services departments in the last year, according to a survey published by NHS Digital. Fewer carers feel they receive encouragement and support and more than a quarter said they had not received support from social services in the past year, up from 23.1% in 2018-19. “We are calling on the Government to implement an urgent ‘Recovery and Respite’ plan, including breaks, desperately needed respite and care services, identification of carers, financial help, and support to juggle work and care.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Carers play a vital role in our communities, and we have set out in a white paper our aim to empower unpaid carers to live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.