By Matthew McKenzie – Carer and Carers UK Ambassador
As unpaid carers, many of us know what it feels like to operate in the background. We juggle complex health systems, care for our loved ones, and manage our own lives, all too often feeling invisible.
That is why I am excited to share a major milestone for our community.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), alongside the Departments for Education, Business and Trade, and Work and Pensions has officially launched the Unpaid Carers Action Plan: Recognize, Refer, Reach.
This is England’s first-ever cross-government action plan dedicated entirely to supporting unpaid carers.
I was honored to attend the official launch event to represent our community, meet with Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock MP, and participate in the official DHSC launch video.
This isn’t just another policy document; it is a commitment across multiple government sectors to drive real, practical change.
The plan is built around three core pillars:
1. Recognise
Carers must be identified early. One of the most exciting digital updates is a new “MyCarer” section being introduced on the NHS App, allowing us to easily register our caring role so healthcare staff know who we are from the start.
2. Refer
No carer should have to navigate the system alone. This pillar focuses on making sure we are directed to local carer centres, financial advice, and emotional support early on. Crucially, it aims to ensure we are formally included in major healthcare decisions, like hospital discharge planning.
3. Reach
Caring shouldn’t mean giving up on your own future. For working carers, the plan explores paid carer’s leave and will require large employers (250+ staff) to publish carer support plans from spring 2027. For young carers, it means stronger support within schools so their education doesn’t suffer.
A Message to My Fellow Carers and Carer Centres
For years, we have argued that caring is not just a “health” issue, it impacts our jobs, our education, our finances, and our mental health. Seeing four government departments finally come together to address I feel is a massive step forward.
To my fellow unpaid carers: Please know that using your voice gives you a chance at being heard. It is important to get carers “on the map” to be recognised, and this plan is a direct result of carers sharing their lived experiences.
To Carer Centres and Forums: This action plan is a powerful tool for us. It gives us a framework to hold local services accountable and ensure the “Recognise, Refer, Reach” goals are delivered on the ground.
Of course change doesn’t happen overnight, but this plan gives us a vital foundation to build on. Let’s keep pushing, keep connecting, and make sure every single unpaid carer gets the recognition and support they deserve.
Written by Matthew McKenzie, Speaker, Carer, Campaigner and Poet
As part of Carers Week 2026, I had the privilege of travelling to East Dean in East Sussex to speak at the East Sussex Carers Voices – Celebrating Carers Week Event, organised by Care for the Carers. The event brought together unpaid carers, carers’ organisations, NHS representatives, local authority leaders, health professionals, community groups and carers from across East Sussex to discuss the realities of caring and identify ways to improve support for unpaid carers.
The event was hosted by Dr Neil Churchill, Chair of Care for the Carers, who guided the day’s discussions and emphasised the vital role carers play in society. Throughout the day, carers shared their personal stories, experiences and recommendations directly with decision-makers and service providers.
By Matthew McKenzie – Carer activist (volunteer of Carers UK)
Last night I attended the Mary Webster Lecture at Apothecaries’ Hall in London, a special event marking Carers UK’s 60th anniversary. As someone who has cared for family members and now volunteers with Carers UK, it was moving to sit among other carers, professionals, and campaigners who have worked so hard for recognition and equality.
The event honoured Reverend Mary Webster, the founder of Carers UK, whose vision decades ago helped lay the foundations for unpaid carers’ rights. Today, as we still fight for equality and understanding, her legacy feels more important than ever.
Setting the Scene
Apothecaries’ Hall is a grand, historic space filled with portraits and a sense of tradition. But it also felt like the right place to discuss change how we can build a future where carers are respected and supported equally. The evening began with warm welcomes and reflections from Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK. She reminded us that while progress has been made, many unpaid carers still live in poverty, often earning less than the minimum wage for full-time dedication.
Then came the highlight of the evening a talk by The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally DBE, Bishop of London and recently named Archbishop of Canterbury Designate, in conversation with Baroness Jill Pitkeathley OBE, long-time carer champion and former Carers UK CEO.
Dignity in Caring
Bishop Sarah spoke with warmth and honesty about her journey from nursing to the Church. What struck me most was her story about washing her grandmother’s feet when she was a young nurse, which a simple act that carried deep dignity. She used that image to describe caring itself: often quiet, unseen, but filled with compassion and humanity.
Her message was clear that care is about dignity. Every person, regardless of ability, age, or background, has value. She reminded us that dependency isn’t weakness it’s part of being human. We all depend on others at different points in our lives.
As a Black male carer, that message really resonated. In many of our communities, caring happens quietly, often behind closed doors, without recognition or support. Bishop Sarah’s words reminded me that this invisible work deserves to be seen and respected not just by policy makers, but by society as a whole.
Lessons on Equality and Faith
Baroness Pitkeathley joined Bishop Sarah for a deep conversation about equality today and tomorrow. They reflected on how far carers’ rights have come and how far we still have to go. From health and financial struggles to workplace inequality, many of the same challenges from the 1990s remain today.
Bishop Sarah also spoke about the Church’s Reimagining Care Commission, which calls for a new “covenant of care” a moral agreement between government, communities, and families to share responsibility for those who need care. It’s not just about services, but about values: compassion, respect, and community.
Hearing that from someone soon to become the Archbishop of Canterbury gave me hope. It felt like a recognition that faith, ethics, and social justice must go hand in hand.
Voices from the Floor
The Q&A that followed was emotional and powerful. Carers from the audience spoke up about their struggles housing, mental health, disability, and the loneliness that caring can bring.
One carer shared the pain of fighting for proper housing for her disabled son; another spoke about the toll on her own health. Each voice reminded me that caring is more than statistics it’s real people doing extraordinary things every day, often without support.
My Reflection as a Black Carer Activist
As I looked around the room, I thought of the carers in Black and ethnic minority communities who face extra barriers language, stigma, or fear of not being understood. Too often, our voices are missing from the conversation. I decided to have a chat with Dame Sarah Mullally about my thoughts, still nights like this show that inclusion is possible, and necessary.
Equality for carers means also recognising our diversity on different cultures, faiths, and family structures and ensuring that every carer can access the help they need, without judgement or struggle.
I left the event feeling encouraged but also challenged. Encouraged by the leadership and compassion of women like Bishop Sarah and Baroness Pitkeathley, who continue to champion carers’ rights. Challenged, because the journey isn’t over and each of us, whatever our background, has a role to play.
A Call for Tomorrow
Sixty years after Mary Webster founded Carers UK, unpaid carers are still holding society together.
We save the country billions, yet too many of us live in hardship. As Bishop Sarah said, we must rethink how we value care not as a cost, but as a cornerstone of our humanity.
For me, as a carer activist, that means continuing to speak up, share stories, and bring carers from all communities together. Because equality today and tomorrow starts with being seen, heard, and valued.
