Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding allocated to councils for respite care has been accessed to date; and what steps his Department is taking to encourage carers to make use of that support.

Since 2015, the National Health Service contribution to the Better Care Fund (BCF) has included funding to support the implementation of the Care Act 2014, including £130 million which has been made available each year for Carers’ Breaks via the NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCG) minimum contribution to the BCF.

Locally agreed between local authorities (LAs) and CCGs, joint BCF plans set out the level of resource that will be dedicated to carer-specific support, including carers’ breaks, and identify how the chosen methods for supporting carers will help to meet key outcomes. These BCF plans are agreed locally at Health and Wellbeing Board level as part of the BCF Assurance process, and funding is released under the premise that the requirements and conditions of the Fund are met. The local level allocation data is not readily available at a national level.

We recognise the importance of carers being able to take a break from their caring role. Through the Carers Action Plan, we have committed to promoting best practice for LAs, service providers and commissioners on carer breaks and respite care. In doing so this will support them to help carers to take a break by highlighting best practice and provide advice and information for carers seeking respite breaks.