Councils force family carers to pay for respite

Well over half of all councils force family carers to pay for respite care while they take a break, data shows. Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that 52 of 88 councils who are responsible for social care do charge families for carers to step in to allow them to take a holiday.

Government social care guidance states that “in most cases local authorities do not charge for providing support to carers, in recognition of the valuable contribution that carers make to their local community”. However, figures obtained by Barbara Keeley, the shadow minister for social care, show that one in five councils had increased their charges over the past three years.