Trust calls for Credits for Caring scheme

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has today called for the introduction of a ‘Credits for Caring’ scheme.

One million carers would get extra support and over £0.5billion new money would be available for carers if the system were adopted, say experts at The Trust.

Under the scheme carers would receive cash credits based on the amount of care they provide to help sustain them in their role.

'Crediting Carers: Building Society to Care', sets out The Trust's proposals, arguing that support for carers, in the form of cash credits, could lead to large reductions in residential care admissions and significant savings for the social care system.

Completely self-financing, the scheme would expand the number of carers eligible to receive some individual support through the social care system.

Chief Executive of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Carol Cochrane, said:

“Carers are people who give so much but often get very little support. Indeed, the more they give, the less support social care provides to their families.

"We propose to change this with one million carers getting new help through the social care system. The Credits for Caring scheme would produce savings in other areas that could make it largely self-financing.

“People worry that we might be a 'me first' society. They should look at what carers do. Day in, day out they are caring for friends or relatives who may have a serious illness or disability.

"If we want to encourage such caring in our communities, we should give carers the support they need to carry on. It is carers who are building society.”

Similar credit systems have proved successful in motivating communities to become involved in helping others.

The Gellideg Foundation Group in Merthyr Tydfil runs a time bank scheme where local people can earn credits by volunteering. There are 220 regular volunteers on the estate from 600 families.

The paper is supported by Crossroads Care and forms part of the charities' response to The Big Care Debate - the government's consultation on the care and support green paper which sets out a series of options for funding the social care system.

The government’s green paper on reforming social care, 'Shaping the Future of Care Together', proposes to create a National Care Service and offers suggestions on how more private funding could help create a sustainable social care system for the future.

Read The Trust's report, 'Crediting Carers: Building Society to Care' (84 KB)

Published: 17 November 2009