Supporting unpaid carers in England: A national crisis in adult social care
Unpaid carers are vital to England’s social care system, providing critical support yet frequently overlooked for the physical and emotional toll it takes. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) report that 88% of carers are coming forward with escalating needs, and 82% of carers say that their responsibilities negatively impact their health. With nearly half urgently needing more breaks, the risk of burnout is high.
This growing crisis not only impacts carers but also places immense pressure on local authorities. For one county council alone, unpaid carers provide the equivalent of £127 million in unpaid support annually. Without proactive intervention, burnout among carers could lead to a 70% increase in local authority costs, amounting to an additional £7.6 million annually to cover unmet needs.
Using data to identify at-risk carers
The key to addressing this issue lies in data. By leveraging Imosphere’s data-driven toolkit, local authorities can identify carers at the highest risk of burnout – those experiencing the greatest impact on their health and those who are not currently accessing support, such as respite breaks.
Imosphere’s recent data analysis identified that for one county council, unpaid carers are providing the equivalent of £127 million in unpaid support per year, with a cohort of 124 carers who were at risk of breakdown. By intervening early with targeted support, local authorities can prevent the crisis from escalating, ensuring these carers are reviewed and supported, preventing them from reaching breaking point. Not only does this safeguard the well-being of carers, but it also mitigates potential increases in care costs for local authorities.
Tools to support carers: Self-assessment, Carer’s SANA, Formulate for Carers, and Carer’s Support Plan
Local authorities now have the tools they need to provide comprehensive, person-centred support to unpaid carers, ensuring they receive the help they deserve before it’s too late. Imosphere’s solutions empower both carers and local authorities to make informed, data-driven decisions.
1. Carer’s Self-assessment
Imosphere’s self-assessment tools allow carers to assess their own needs, reducing wait times and empowering them to take control of their situation. This approach increases accessibility to support and empowers carers to reach out.
2. Carer’s Strengths and Needs Assessment (C-SANA)
The Carer’s Strengths and Needs Assessment ensures that the carer’s voice is heard, giving carer’s the opportunity to share their strengths, challenges and outcomes.
3. Formulate for Carers
With Formulate, local authorities can streamline the entire assessment process, calculate budgets accurately, and ensure that carers are receiving timely and appropriate support. This data-driven tool enables more efficient resource allocation, reducing the likelihood of burnout and improving overall outcomes for carers and those they support.
4. Carer’s Support Plan
The Carer’s Support Plan ensures that local authorities and carers can create personalised, outcome-focused support plans that are tailored to the carer’s unique strengths, challenges and outcomes - putting the carers at the heart of their support.
Real-world example: Suffolk County Council success
Imosphere’s solutions are already delivering tangible results for local authorities across the country. In Suffolk, carers are benefitting from self-assessment outcomes and personalised support plans that ensure their voices are heard.
Local authorities using Imosphere’s tools are consistently ranking in the top third of the ASCOF for carer self-directed support, showcasing the effectiveness of these innovative solutions.
Supporting carers with respite care
One of the most pressing needs identified by carers is access to breaks. Respite care not only provides much-needed relief for carers but also ensures continuity of care for the people they support. Imosphere’s toolkit enables local authorities to plan and deliver respite services, ensuring that carers have the time to rest and recharge, preventing burnout and maintaining the sustainability of unpaid care.
Future-proofing care with Imosphere
As the demands on unpaid carers continue to rise, local authorities must take proactive steps to support this vital, unseen, and underappreciated workforce. Imosphere’s data-driven toolkit offers local authorities the opportunity to transform how they deliver support, ensuring carers are empowered, well-supported, and less likely to experience burnout.
By integrating self-assessment tools, the Carer’s SANA, and Formulate into their care systems, local authorities partnering with Imosphere are not only improving the well-being of unpaid carers but also reducing future care costs, streamlining services, and improving efficiency across the board.
Discover how Imosphere can transform your approach to unpaid carers. Book a demo today and see how our solutions can help you identify at-risk carers, reduce costs, and build a future-proof care system that puts carers and the people they support at the centre of everything you do.
Stay tuned for the next installment in our series, where we’ll explore recent findings that reveal that over 80% of councils are projected to overspend their adult social care budgets this year. We will dive into how preventative strategies can reduce costly emergency interventions and support sustainable care solutions.
- Unpaid carers: The backbone of social care: Providing care valued at £162 billion annually, unpaid carers provide essential support to England’s social care system, but often at significant personal cost.
- Rising burnout and urgent need for support: 88% of carers report escalating needs, and 82% say caregiving negatively impacts their health. Nearly half urgently require breaks to avoid burnout.
- Data-driven tools to identify at-risk carers: Imosphere’s toolkit enables councils to proactively identify carers at high risk of burnout and provide targeted support before reaching crisis points.
- Real-world impact in Suffolk: Suffolk County Council is already seeing positive outcomes with Imosphere’s solutions, empowering carers with timely, personalised support.
- Comprehensive solutions for councils: From self-assessment tools to personalised care plans, Imosphere’s toolkit helps councils reduce costs, improve carer well-being, and streamline support services.
