Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they have offered to carers of adults with learning disabilities during the COVID-19 outbreak.

We recognise the crucial role unpaid carers play caring for those with learning disabilities, especially at this time. We commissioned the Social Care Institute of Excellence to develop a hub of resources for paid and unpaid carers of people with learning disabilities and/or autism. The guidance is available in an online only format and covers topics such as social distancing, advance care planning and staying well.

We have also published guidance in an online only format for unpaid carers, which includes advice on infection control, and links to information and support, and we have provided funding to extend Carers UK’s information and advice service.

To help unpaid carers continue to claim Carer’s Allowance if they need to self-isolate, we made temporary amendments so that emotional support counts towards the 35 hours a week threshold.

We continue to work with carers organisations to identify further solutions to support carers.