Unpaid Carers
A carer is anyone who cares for a friend or family member who can’t cope without support. This might be because of aging, illness, disability, poor mental health, or an addiction. It isn’t someone who volunteers or is employed to provide support, a carer could be in education, in receipt of Carers Allowance or working whilst caring. A caring role may develop over a period of time or happen suddenly without allowing time to prepare. It could be for a few hours each week, or 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and a carer may care for different people at different times in their lifetime.
A carer might be:
- an adult caring for other adults.
- a parent caring for children who are ill or have a disability.
- a young person caring for a parent, sibling, relative, or friend.
The Council’s Borough that Cares All-Age Carers Strategy 2026 – 2031 sets out the strategic commitments to ensure a system that works with and for carers, one that is inclusive, responsive and rooted in lived experience.
Demographics
In Rotherham, there is a predicted 26,313 unpaid carers, meaning at least 10.48% of people living in Rotherham fulfil an unpaid caring role. As Rotherham’s ageing population increases, it is predicted that more people will identify as an unpaid carer.
Thrybergh and Hooton Roberts Ward area contains the highest density of people providing unpaid care in Rotherham at 12% of the population and Rotherham Central providing the least level of unpaid care at 8%.
The age bracket of 50–64 years of age contains the highest number of unpaid carers at 4,817 providing up to 19 hours of care and under per week.
The age bracket of 65 years and over provide the highest number of hours of unpaid care per week at 3,513 unpaid carers.
4.3% of Rotherham’s unpaid carers are in receipt of Carers Allowance which is higher than the national figure of 2.17%.
3.5% of Rotherham’s population are in receipt of Attendance Allowance, 5.4% of the enhanced daily living rate and 4.5% of the standard daily living rate of Personal Independence Payment – an indicator that 13.4% of Rotherham’s adult population could potentially require unpaid care.
Key Messages for the Market
- The Council will continue to support unpaid carers and recognise unpaid carers for the invaluable commitment carers make in providing support and care.
- The Borough That Cares All-Age Carers Strategy 2026 - 2031 outlines five commitments: Identification and early intervention; to support carers and ensure their voice is heard; to support carers through times of change; to work in partnership; to co-design a responsive support offer for carers.
Service Provision
|
Unpaid Carers Commissioned Support services |
Brief Summary of the service |
Number of people supported in 25/26 |
Commissioning Intentions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dementia Café and Dementia Support Worker Service |
A grant agreement is in place with a voluntary and community sector (VCS) provider to provide a Dementia Café and Carers Dementia Support Worker Service. This arrangement is in place until March 2027. (a) Dementia Cafés: Several Dementia Cafés take place monthly at a range of locations across the borough. The cafes provide an opportunity for unpaid carers (who support a person who lives with dementia) to meet, receive support, access information, and advice whilst the person with dementia can join in a range of activities. (b) Dementia Support Worker Service: The Carers Dementia Support worker service provides individually tailored support, advice, and information to unpaid carers in a setting of their choice. |
Dementia Cafés: 1,435 attendances Dementia Support Worker Service: 235 (new and existing). |
This service is commissioned until March 2027 and may be recommissioned. |
|
Carers Emergency Service |
Commissioned through the Better Care Fund, the Carers Emergency Service provides vital replacement care in the persons home in situations where the unpaid carer (one who provides a substantial amount of care) is unexpectedly and due to an emergency, unable to undertake their caring role. A Foundation Trust is currently contracted to provide replacement care, within 2 hours of the request, as directed by the outcome of a Carers Assessment and/or Registration to the Scheme and pre-determined contingency plan, for a period of up to 48 hours. Formal care services are put in place should they still be required post the 48-hour period. |
22 |
This service is commissioned until March 2027, with an option to extend for one year. |
|
Unpaid Carers Home Care and Support Service |
This service is provided by a VCS provider via the Home Care and Support FPS. The service provides domiciliary care for people with eligible needs under the Care Act, where it is also identified that they have an unpaid carer that would benefit from the advice, information and additional support available from this provider. |
82 |
This service will continue to provide support to unpaid carers who also have eligible needs under the Care Act. |
|
Shared Lives |
Shared Lives is a CQC registered inhouse service where there are a variety of placements and a mixture of support including:
|
People who provide unpaid care and require respite provision are currently under-represented in this service. |
The Council welcomes discussions for individuals to register as shared lives carers and for shared lives carers to have closer links to peer support networks. |
