Carers Trust celebrates success of Princess Royal Respite Fund For Carers

Carers Trust is delighted that its recently launched Princess Royal Respite Fund For Carers is having an immediate positive impact on the lives of unpaid carers right across the UK.

The fund aims to provide small grants to approximately 30,000 exhausted unpaid carers so they can take a much-needed respite break from the constant demands of their caring role.

Launched just six months ago, the fund was named to mark the 70th birthday of Carers Trust’s President, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. It has already raised over £150,000.

The money is being used to have an immediate, life-changing impact on unpaid carers. These carers are more exhausted than ever before after having to take on significantly increased caring responsibilities for family and friends after lockdowns forced the closure of many local social care support services. Research shows that 42% of carers in England have not taken a break of more than two days since they started caring. And in Wales an alarming 72% of all unpaid carers have not had a break whatsoever since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Money raised is being distributed to unpaid carers in the following three ways:

• Though Carers Trust’s #TimeForMe campaign, unpaid carers receive grants of up to £400 on a case-by-case, periodic basis.
• Our Carer Respite Support and Development Fund provides Carers Trust Network Partners with the opportunity to offer community or group-based respite support for carers, such as befriending services.
• Unpaid carers in need of urgent funding for respite breaks can also apply through their local carer service.

Reflecting back on the success of the fund so far, Carers Trust’s Executive Director of Fundraising, Svetlana Kirov, said:
“Even before the pandemic, millions of unpaid family carers across the UK were struggling to cope with the constant pressure of being at home providing round-the-clock care for a loved one. Coronavirus has brought many of these carers to breaking point after they had to take on even more caring responsibilities after lockdowns forced the closure of many support services.

“So, the money Carers Trust is raising through its Princess Royal Respite Fund for Carers could not be more timely. It is literally a lifeline for so many carers, making possible a properly funded respite break that would otherwise be impossible for so many hard-pressed carers.

"But we still have a long way to go to reaching our target of £3million over three years. So I encourage anyone who can to get in touch to find out how they can support our vision of funded breaks for carers a reality.”

To find out how you can support Carers Trust’s Princess Royal Respite Fund for Carers, please email Philip Howell-Williams at Carers Trust.

Ends

For further information, and to arrange interviews, please contact: 

Matt Whitticase on mwhitticase@carers.org and 07824 539481. 

Carers Trust is a major charity for, with and about carers. We work to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.  

We do this with a UK wide network of quality assured independent partners and through the provision of grants to help carers get the extra help they need to live their own lives. With locally based Network Partners we are able to support carers in their homes through the provision of replacement care, and in the community with information, advice, emotional support, hands on practical help and access to much needed breaks. We offer specialist services for carers of people of all ages and conditions and a range of individual tailored support and group activities.  

Our vision is that unpaid carers count and can access the help they need to live their lives.