Carers Manifesto for 2026
The National Carer Organisations have launched the 2026 Carers Manifesto – a call to action for all political parties ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections to commit to supporting unpaid carers and young carers.
Why this matters:
- 694,000 unpaid carers in Scotland
- 27,000 young carers under 18
- 3 in 5 of us will become a carer in our lifetime
Our vision:
All Scotland’s unpaid carers should feel valued, included, and supported as equal partners in care.
Key themes and policy asks:
1. Support unpaid carers
- Ensure carers can access the support they need
- Guarantee the right to a meaningful break
- Allocate at least 25% of Carers Act funding to local carers’ organisations
- Introduce mandatory Young Carer Awareness Training for all education staff
2. Help carers stay well
- Deliver a national strategy to tackle health inequalities for carers
- Provide annual health checks and flexible healthcare access
- Ensure local mental health and wellbeing support is available
3. Ensure financial security
- Increase and expand Carer Support Payment, including for older carers
- Introduce a Minimum Income Guarantee for unpaid carers
- Require publicly funded organisations to be Carer Positive
- End all charges for social care