Current services
A carer in this section is anyone who supports and cares, unpaid, for a family member or friend living with a disability, long term illness, substance misuse or a mental health need, who would not manage without their help.’ Carers play an important role in our communities and make a difference to the lives of those who they care for. Caring is rewarding but can also have a substantial impact on a person’s physical and emotional health.
Leicestershire is a place where carers are recognised, valued and supported both in their caring role and as an individual. From the Census 2021, it has been identified that there were 61,306 unpaid carers in Leicestershire providing essential support to a family member or friend. Many more people may not consider themselves as having a caring role and will go unidentified and be faced with unexpected or expected challenges that they do not feel prepared for.
Carers in Leicestershire are offered information and advice and signpost to local support. This is available on our website and in particular through a Commissioned Support for Carers service currently provided by VASL. This is a 3 year contract running until October 2026 with provision to extend a further year.
In addition, carers over the age of 18 who support or look after someone who lives in Leicestershire may be entitled under the Care Act to a Carer Assessment. Carers can access an assessment by contacting VASL or via the Carer Assessment Portal or by contacting Leicestershire County Council directly.
The Carer assessment can lead to additional support that includes a direct payment to buy support that can reduce carer strain and the adverse impact on a carers life and wellbeing.
People are entitled to a carer assessment if:
- The person being care for lives in the county of Leicestershire
- The carer and cared for person are both over the age of 18 and
The unpaid carer can answer yes to at least one of the following:
- Their caring role is having an impact on your physical or mental health
- They need to consider the person you care for before you can make plans for yourself
- They are finding it difficult to balance other commitments with your caring role – for example managing your own house, seeing friends and family, or work or education
Commissioning aspirations, intentions and opportunities
The joint LLR Carers’ Strategy 2022-2025 sets out the intentions of the partners towards continuing to develop support and services for informal carers.
Amongst the many service areas highlighted to be progressed during the strategy duration are those which:
- Facilitate carer identification
- Enable staff across the health and social care system to receive training on carers’ needs
- Promote access to information for carers
- Support carers to be able to access a broad range of services within their local communities, including voluntary/community led organisations, helping to support their wellbeing and alleviate social isolation
- Improve the move between children’s and adult services with young carers and parent carers, so that they can consider and plan for their future aspirations
- Considers carers’ needs in the commissioning of mainstream services, e.g. mental health.
Paid carers and care providers can make a contribution to supporting carers by working with them as partners in care and provide information and signposting for unpaid carers so they can access advice relevant to their needs.
We welcome, as part of contracted care and within voluntary and communities the development of carer support groups. Many care providers organise carer support groups and involve family and friends in many aspects of the care settings as part good practice.
We also encourage contracted providers to support people to consider putting in place a lasting Power of Attorney which are often held by family and main carers. Further information can be found at Plan for the future.
Page last updated in February 2025.