Research on PCT Breaks for Carers Allocations
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care Survey of Primary Care Trusts
New research, carried out by two of the UK’s leading carers’ charities The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care, has uncovered approximately £40m of the £50m allocated by the government for carers support is failing to reach carers.
80% of new monies given by government to Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in 2009/10 have not been used to increase support for carers as was intended.
Read the findings of the survey below:
Survey of Primary Care Trusts (179 KB)
PCTs And Carers Strategy Report Oct 09 (249 KB)
The findings come despite the government’s announcement in June 2008 that through the National Carers Strategy, £150m would be given to PCTs to provide breaks for carers over two years (2009-11). The research shows that the majority of the 81 PCTs out of 130 who responded to a Freedom of Information request are clearly failing to prioritise carers’ needs with indications that they are choosing to spend the money elsewhere, and in some cases to cover deficits.
In 2004, Lord Warner, then Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health advised Parliament that if there was ever evidence that PCTs were not taking carers into proper account during their planning process “we will intervene.” [i]
This report produces such evidence and we call on the Government to intervene so that:
- the amount each PCT receives of next year’s £100m is publicly available;
- PCTs plan their spending with carers, carers’ organizations and the local authority;
- each PCT publicly reports on their use of the money.
