Lancashire Carers Assessment and Support Service

Description

Lancashire is home to more than 112,000 unpaid carers, representing approximately 9.6% of the population aged five years and over. This is higher than the national average of 8.8%. The estimated value of unpaid care provided by carers across Lancashire is approximately £3.7 billion per year. The number of carers is expected to increase as the population ages, people live longer with complex conditions and more care continues to be delivered within family and community settings. Many carers balance caring responsibilities alongside employment, education, family commitments and their own health needs. The Council recognises that while thousands of carers are currently known to services, many more remain unidentified and are therefore unable to benefit from available support. Hidden carers remain a significant challenge across Lancashire, particularly within working-age populations, rural communities and communities that traditionally experience barriers to accessing support. Lancashire County Council (LCC) is in the process of undertaking an exercise to commission the Lancashire Carers Service. As part of an options appraisal, we wish to engage with key stakeholders in relation to a potential competitive procurement of the services.