At the Cabinet meeting on Monday 29 June, councillors approved a 4-year strategy to make Brighton & Hove a carer friendly city and ensure unpaid carers are identified, recognised and supported.
The Carers Strategy 2026-2030, ‘Think Carer – Building a Carer Friendly City’, highlights our commitment to supporting the vital role of family and friend unpaid carers and provides a framework to encourage local services and organisations to be ‘carer friendly’.
The 2021 Census revealed that there are at least 20,804 family and friend unpaid carers in Brighton & Hove, making up 8% of the city’s population.
The economic contribution of Brighton & Hove’s unpaid carers is estimated to be £618 million per year, according to national research by Carers UK based on the 2021 Census.
Carers can be any age, with the youngest Young Carer registered locally at age 6 years old, and Adult Carers over 90 years old, with many carers supporting more than one person and providing over 50 hours of care a week.
Caring has been described as a ‘social determinant of health’ due to the significant health inequalities experienced by carers, including higher rates of long-term health conditions, increased physical strain, mental health challenges and financial impact and insecurity.
Our first Carers Strategy launched in 2017, and the 2026-2030 strategy is the second refresh which builds on its success and develops our commitment to create a carer-friendly city while providing a framework for identifying and supporting unpaid carers.
The new strategy has been informed and shaped by:
Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities, Public Health and Adult Social Care, said: “Choosing to care for family, friends and neighbours is a powerful expression of kindness and of love - one that we as a city should both value and find practical ways to support.
“Caring is a unique and rewarding commitment, but it can take its toll, so we need services that support carers to enable them to continue to care for as long as they choose.
“Our Carers Strategy aligns with our commitments to create a healthy city that helps people to thrive by ensuring unpaid carers can access the information, advice and services they need to live happy and fulfilling lives.
“We know that many people don't consider themselves to be carers – they simply see themselves as family members, friends or neighbours helping their loved ones.
“This means that all too often, carers don’t seek assistance until they have experienced many of the negative physical, emotional, and financial impacts of caring.
“This strategy aims to reach all unpaid carers in Brighton & Hove as soon as possible, reducing health inequalities and showing carers that they are valued, that their needs have been heard, and that they will continue to be supported.”
There’s a range of support available for carers in Brighton & Hove, including the Carers Card, which offers discounts to carers for a range of activities in the city.
The council and Surrey and Sussex NHS jointly commission the Carers Hub as a single point of contact for all carers in the city, and they provide a range of information, advice and support.
If you’re a carer – or think you might be one – you can find out more on our support for carers webpages.
Carers Week is an annual campaign celebrating the work of unpaid carers and recognising the vital contribution they make to their families and communities.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a global initiative challenging stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences.