Researchers found that family and friends carers were being left to fend for themselves, and suffered significant levels of hardship, as local authorities failed to implement central government guidelines. 45 per cent of English local authorities had not published a family and friends care policy, more than 5 months after the government had required them to do so. 44 per cent of carers surveyed said that they had received no practical help from their local authority, and 95 per cent identified at least one form of support that they had needed: but not received – most mentioned several. More than 70 per cent rated the support that they had received from their local authority as 'poor' or 'very poor'.

Source: Joan Hunt and Suzette Waterhouse, Understanding Family and Friends Care: The Relationship Between Need, Support and Legal Status – Carers' Experiences, Family Rights Group | Rachida Aziz and David Roth, Understanding Family and Friends Care: Analysis of a Population Study, Family Rights Group | Rachida Aziz, David Roth, and Bridget Lindley, Understanding Family and Friends Care: The Largest UK Survey, Family Rights Group | Rachida Aziz, David Roth, and Bridget Lindley, Understanding Family and Friends Care: Local Authority Policies – The Good, the Bad and the Non Existent, Family Rights Group

Links: Report (1) | Report (2) | Report (3) | Report (4) | Family Lives press release | Community Care report

Date Created: 27 Mar 2012