Survey of Carers: Your Voice Matters
Commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and being conducted by researchers at the Centre for Care, University of Birmingham, the Survey of Carers is a new pilot survey designed to capture the experiences of people who provide support to a family member, friend, neighbour or someone else for reasons related to long-term illness, disability, physical or mental health conditions, substance misuse, or older age.
Share your voice and help shape the future of adult social care.
Take the survey nowWhat is the Survey of Carers?
The Survey of Carers is a pilot (new) study designed to better understand the experiences and lives of people aged 18 or over who provide support to a family member, friend, neighbour or someone else for reasons related to long-term illness, disability, physical or mental health conditions, substance misuse, or older age.
These people are sometimes called “unpaid carers”. They provide the majority of long-term support in England, yet, the data available to policymakers about unpaid carers is significantly limited.
Current data fails to capture:
- Who unpaid carers are
- What support unpaid carers need
- What support unpaid carers currently receive and if it helps
- How the lives of unpaid carers are affected by the support they provide
The Survey of Carers aims to gather the right data to paint a completer and more inclusive picture of your experiences. This will help your local council, government departments, charities and public bodies make better decisions that meet the your changing needs.
We will ask you about your caring role and responsibilities, what matters to you, your health and wellbeing, services and support, work and your background (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity). However, all responses, findings, and reports will be anonymous, ensuring that no individual can be identified.
Learn more about the survey nowWho is an Unpaid Carer?
People who provide support to a family member, friend, neighbour or someone else for reasons related to long-term illness, disability, physical or mental health conditions, substance misuse, or older age are referred to as “unpaid carers” in UK policy.
Even if you provide less than an hour of support a week, or are assisting someone full time, you are still recognised as an unpaid carer.
You might be helping someone by:
- Filling in forms
- Managing money
- Washing, dressing, cooking
- Making phone calls and appointments
- Helping someone use public transport
- Moving around and getting to and from bed
- Shopping, housework or going to the doctor
- Providing company and emotional support
If you do anything similar to the above, you could be eligible to take part in the Survey of Carers and shape the future of social care.
Unpaid carers are also entitled to a range of rights, benefits and extra support.
Discover what support is there for you
What’s Involved in Taking Part
Taking part in the Survey of Carers consists of three main steps
1. Read the Participant Information
5 minutes
Click the take part button at the top of the page. You will be taken to the Survey of Carers where you will find the Participant Information page telling everything you need to know about getting involved. If needed, you can find paper copies of the survey, participant information and consent form in the Resource Hub for Participants.
2. Read the Consent Form
5 minutes
After you have read the Participant Information, you will be asked to read and agree to a consent form. This form explains what information will be collected, how it will be used, and confirms that your responses and data will be kept confidential and anonymous.
3. Complete the Survey of Carers
30 minutes
Once you have read the information sheet and consent form, you will be able to complete the Survey of Carers. The survey is 38 questions long and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. By doing so, and by sharing your experiences, you will be creating a better future for millions of unpaid carers across the nation.
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