By Matthew McKenzie – member of UCP Lived experience group

Many unpaid carers worry about one question: “What would happen if I suddenly became ill or was unable to provide care?” It is a concern that often sits in the background but can cause enormous anxiety.

A new approach being developed across London aims to provide reassurance and practical support. Through the Universal Care Plan (UCP) and the Carer Contingency Plan (CCP), unpaid carers can record important information and make plans so that the people they care for continue to receive support if circumstances change.

What is a Universal Care Plan?

The Universal Care Plan (UCP) is a secure digital care record used across London. It allows important information to be shared with health and care professionals involved in a person’s care.

The plan records information that matters most to the individual, including:

• Health conditions and medical information.
• Personal wishes and preferences.
• Details about family members and carers.
• Important contacts.
• Information that can help professionals provide better care.

The UCP can help reduce the need to repeat information and ensures that health and care staff have access to information when it matters most.

People of all ages can have a Universal Care Plan, including both carers and the people they support.

Introducing the Carer Contingency Plan

For unpaid carers, one of the most valuable developments is the Carer Contingency Plan (CCP).

The CCP allows carers to record what should happen if they are suddenly unable to continue caring because of illness, an emergency or another unexpected event.

The plan can include:

• Emergency contacts.
• Information about daily routines.
• Medication arrangements.
• Communication needs.
• Important preferences and wishes.
• Details about replacement support or family members who could help.

Having this information available means professionals and family members can respond more quickly and with greater confidence during a crisis.

Why is this important for unpaid carers?

Many carers provide support around the clock and often put their own needs last. Yet emergencies can happen to anyone.

A Carer Contingency Plan can:

• Provide peace of mind.
• Help avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
• Ensure continuity of care.
• Reduce stress during emergencies.
• Make carers more visible to health and care services.
• Improve communication between professionals and families.

Most importantly, it recognises the crucial role unpaid carers play and helps ensure they are not overlooked.

Accessible and Easy to Use

Universal Care Plans and Carer Contingency Plans are designed to be practical and accessible.

Plans can be created:

• In hospitals.
• In community services.
• Through voluntary sector organisations.
• By individuals themselves using the NHS App and NHS digital services.

Support materials and guidance are continuing to expand, making it easier for both professionals and carers to understand and use the system.

Working Together Across Health and Care

The UCP and CCP are being used across hospital, community and voluntary sector settings. Their purpose is simple but powerful: to improve communication, support carers and ensure that important information is available when it is needed most.

For unpaid carers, this represents a positive step forward. Carers have long spoken about wanting greater recognition and reassurance that there is a plan in place should something happen to them. The Carer Contingency Plan helps answer that concern.

A Message to Carers

If you support a family member, partner, friend or neighbour, you are not alone. Your role matters, and planning ahead is not about expecting the worst—it is about providing reassurance and protecting the person you care for.

The Universal Care Plan and Carer Contingency Plan offer a practical way to make your wishes known, improve communication with professionals and ensure that support can continue when it is needed most.

If you would like to know more, speak to your hospital’s carers service, community team, GP practice, local carers organisation or ask a member of your health and care team about the Universal Care Plan and Carer Contingency Plan.

Planning ahead today can bring peace of mind tomorrow for both carers and the people they care for.