Carers Week (Monday 8 to Sunday 14 June) is an annual campaign celebrating the vital work of unpaid carers supporting family members and friends who have a disability, mental health condition, physical illness, or need extra help in their daily lives.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to their families and communities.
As a council, we are committed to making Brighton & Hove a Carer Friendly City because anyone can become a carer – or find themselves in need of care – at a moment’s notice.
The theme for Carers Week 2026 is Building Carer Friendly Communities, highlighting the impact carer friendly communities can have in making a real and lasting difference to the lives of carers everywhere.
There are 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK and at least 21,000 carers in Brighton & Hove providing support to friends, family and loved ones, but they are often overlooked, undervalued and unsupported. Carers can face challenges that affect their health, wellbeing, education, careers, relationships and daily life.
The Carers Hub aims to improve the quality of life of carers in Brighton & Hove by providing a range of services and comprehensive local resources for carers of all ages, including:
The hub is commissioned jointly by Brighton & Hove City Council and NHS Sussex and is provided through a partnership between The Carers Centre, Crossroads Care and Alzheimer’s Society, alongside the council’s Adult Social Care Assessment Services.
The day before Carers Week kicks off, The Carers Centre will be hosting a stand at the Rotary Family Festival and Big Help Out at Hove Park. You can find them at stall number 55 in Zone 1. The event will also include live entertainment, community showcases and family-friendly activities.
The Carers Centre will be hosting their annual Carers Festival at the Open Market to celebrate the contribution of unpaid carers and enable carers to discover support and connect with local services.
The Carers Centre’s Primary Care Link Worker will be attending Warmdene Surgery to host a 'carers clinic' where carers and patients can ask questions they have relating to caring. This event is limited to patients and carers of patients at the surgery.
Jenny became a carer when her mum was diagnosed with dementia. She said: “I’m an expert on Mum’s health but have no time for my own health. The dementia nurse put me in touch with the Carers Centre and I do rave about it. I make sure that anyone who’s a carer knows to access it.
“I attended the CrISP (Carer Information and Support) Programme which was brilliant. I met other carers of people with dementia, both full and part time.
“And the course approached dementia both scientifically and visually. It really helped me to see an image of proteins eating a brain and also to have a mental picture of a bookshelf losing little bits in different places.
“There are a huge amount of unpaid carers in Brighton & Hove who aren’t thinking they’re carers.
“Through The Carers Centre it’s been really helpful to find the similarities between cultures about caring. I’d highly recommend anyone who thinks they’re a carer in any way, shape or form to contact The Carers Centre.”