Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to respite care services for unpaid carers in (a) West Dorset and (b) other rural areas.

The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers. Additionally, the Government’s Better Care Fund can also be used for carer support, including short breaks and respite services. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides assessments of how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to unpaid carers. Formal assessments commenced in December 2023 and as of June 2025, the CQC has published over 40 local authority assessments, which can be accessed via the CQC website at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports