By Matthew McKenzie – Carer, Campaigner, Author and Speaker
5 June 2026 – Supporting Kent County Council’s Carer Awareness Campaign
Although not officially part of Carers Week, my activities with Kent County Council formed an important part of my ongoing commitment to raising awareness of unpaid carers. I supported the county’s long-term carer awareness campaign by taking part in filming designed to help train council staff to better recognise and support carers.
I also discussed future opportunities to speak at Kent County Council carer groups and continued promoting my own support groups across the county. It was encouraging to see local government investing in carer awareness and recognising the importance of ensuring carers are identified, valued and supported within their communities.
9 June 2026 – Developed Video promotion for Carers Week 2026
I did my bit to raise awareness of Carers Week 2026 via a video I developed, which you can see below.
8 June 2026 – Carers Week Stall at St George’s University Hospital
Carers Week officially began with a rewarding day at St George’s University Hospital, where I hosted a Carers UK information stall. The event provided an opportunity to engage directly with unpaid carers, patients, hospital staff and visitors, sharing information about the support available to carers both locally and nationally.
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.
For Carers Week 2026, it takes place from 8–14 June and shines a spotlight on the millions of unpaid carers who provide essential care and support to family members, friends and loved ones throughout the UK.
This year’s theme, Building Carer Friendly Communities, highlights the need for workplaces, healthcare services, schools, local authorities and communities to better recognise and support unpaid carers.
Despite contributing billions of pounds worth of care each year, many unpaid carers continue to face challenges including financial hardship, social isolation, poor mental health and difficulties accessing support. So Carers Week aims to raise awareness of these issues while encouraging practical action to create a society where carers are valued, respected and included.
As a carer activist and founder of my site A Caring Mind, I am sure that creating carer-friendly communities starts with understanding the realities of caring. Whether you are caring for an ageing parent, a disabled child, a partner with a long-term condition or someone experiencing mental ill health, carers play a vital role in keeping families and communities together.
However, there are still many people do not identify themselves as carers and therefore miss out on important support, benefits and services. Carers Week 2026 provides an opportunity for individuals, organisations and policymakers to listen to carers’ experiences, champion carers’ rights and improve access to support for unpaid carers across the UK.
Watch my Carers Week 2026 video below to learn more about the campaign, this year’s theme and how you can get involved in supporting unpaid carers. Please share the video to help raise awareness and encourage more people to recognise the invaluable contribution that carers make every single day.
Together, we can build stronger, more inclusive and more carer-friendly communities
By Matthew McKenzie – Carer UK ambassador and volunteer
As proud volunteer with Carers UK and Carers Trust, and alongside healthcare teams in hospitals supporting unpaid carers and families. I want to take a moment to recognise the incredible contribution volunteers make every single day.
As we celebrate Volunteers’ Week 2026, across our communities, volunteers give their time, skills, compassion, and energy to help others, often without seeking recognition. Their impact is immeasurable.
For me, volunteering is about making a difference, no matter how small. Sometimes it is providing information and advice to a carer who feels overwhelmed. Sometimes it is speaking up for those whose voices are not being heard. Sometimes it is simply listening. These acts of kindness can change lives.
As carers, many of us already give so much of ourselves to support loved ones. Yet volunteering can also be a powerful way to create change, build connections, and strengthen our communities. It reminds us that we are not alone and that together we can make a positive impact.
Caring for someone with multiple long-term health conditions can be both rewarding and challenging. More people than ever are living with conditions like diabetes, asthma, arthritis, or hypertension and these health challenges often affect minoritised ethnic communities disproportionately.
King’s College London is running the INTERCEPTION study to better understand the experiences of carers like you and the people you support. The goal is to improve how community leaders, healthcare professionals, and policymakers perceive and support those living with multiple conditions.
Your Voice Matters
Your experiences as a carer provide invaluable insights into what works, what could be better, and what support is most needed. By sharing your story, you help shape the future of care for people in similar situations, both locally and nationally.
Who Can Take Part
You can join the study if you:
Are 18 years old or above
Live in Coventry, London, or Manchester
Care for someone with two or more long-term physical or mental health conditions
Can communicate in English for an interview
What Participation Involves
The study involves a one-to-one interview lasting 60–90 minutes at a time and place that suits you. Everything you share will be kept confidential. As a thank you for your time, participants receive a £25 voucher.
How to Get Involved
To learn more or sign up, scan the QR code on the flyer or visit this link . If you have any questions, you can contact the research team, Dr Brenda Hayanga and Dr Sujith Prankumar, at interception@kcl.ac.uk.
Your experiences truly matter. By participating, you help researchers understand what carers need and influence better care for minoritised ethnic communities living with multiple long-term conditions.
This week as of this blog post, the London Assembly published a major new report on unpaid carers: “London’s unpaid carers: Caring for the carers.”
I had the opportunity to contribute to this work as a carer and advocate, alongside others who shared their lived experience. Seeing those voices reflected in the final report is both encouraging and a reminder of how much still needs to change for unpaid carers in London.
One of the strongest messages in the report is that many unpaid carers are still not identified.
Too often, people caring for a partner, parent, or child don’t even realise they are classed as a “carer” which means they miss out on financial support, services, and basic recognition.
From my own experience, and what was shared at the Assembly, this is especially true for:
Mental health carers
Carers from ethnic minority backgrounds
Indentification of unpaid carers
If you’re not identified, I feel you don’t exist in the system.
Financial pressure is a major issue
The report possibly confirms what many carers already know:
Nearly 1 in 3 carers in London are living in poverty
Carer’s Allowance is not enough to live on
Many carers have to reduce work or leave employment entirely
There are positive recommendations here like reviewing Carer’s Allowance and reducing travel costs, but these need to turn into real change, not just policy discussions.
Support isn’t working as it should
Another issue raised in the report and something I spoke about is that support often feels like a “tick-box exercise”.
Carers go through assessments, but:
Support is limited
Funding is inconsistent
Real help (like respite care) is hard to access, especially for mental health carers, I mean what does respite actually mean for mental health unpaid carers?
Identification alone isn’t enough. I think It has to lead to meaningful, practical support.
So what needs to happen next?
The report makes some important recommendations:
Better identification of carers across London
More funding for local carer services
Changes to Carer’s Allowance
Improved workplace support
and a lot more, but you would have to go through the report.
But the key question now is: will this actually be implemented?
Carers don’t need more recognition alone we need action.
Final thoughts
Unpaid carers are holding up the health and social care system every single day.
This report is a very important step forward. But it should be the beginning of change not the end of the conversation.
If you are a carer, or know someone who is, I’d encourage you to read the report and share your experiences. The more visible carers are, the harder it is for the system to ignore us.
On a brisk November afternoon, unpaid mental health carers across Greenwich gathered once again, not just to share experiences, but to seek answers, influence services, and strengthen community. Facilitated by long-time carer advocate Matthew McKenzie, the forum brought together carers, relatives, professionals, and two guest speakers from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.
As I explained when opening the meeting, the purpose of the forum is twofold connection and influence:
November’s session featured two speakers:
✅ Speaker 1 — Lorraine Regan
Director for Community Mental Health, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
✅ Speaker 2 — Janice Williamson
Carer Involvement Lead, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Both provided insight into service pressures, carer involvement, policy development, training, assessments, and support improvements happening across the trust.
Speaker Introduction — Lorraine Regan
Lorraine opened by introducing her background and role:
By Matthew McKenzie – Mental Health Carer Activist
As a carer and mental health advocate, I often see how culture, identity, and lived experience shape the stories we tell and the way we support one another. Recently, I attended a remarkable Black History Month event hosted by Certitude, although I could not stay long, I left feeling inspired, proud, and deeply reflective about the intersections between culture, community, and care.
The Black History Month event was held at Bruce Kenrick House on the 16th of October 2025
About Certitude
Certitude is one of London’s leading social care providers, supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, and mental health needs to live fulfilled and independent lives. What makes Certitude special is its person-centred approach celebrating individuality, empowering self-expression, and ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive.
Community is a word we hear often, but its true meaning and significance can sometimes be overlooked. At its core, a community is a network, a web of relationships built on shared identity, common themes, and mutual trust. Communities are formed when people come together, united by a sense of belonging and shared responsibility. This sense of belonging is not just about being part of a group; it’s about feeling valued, having a purpose, and working towards common ideals.
This blog is a transcript of the video below.
Communities exist in many forms. The most immediate and intimate is the family, where the seeds of unpaid caring are often sown.
In July 2025, we held another meeting of the London Hospital Discharge Carers Forum, which brings together carer centres, NHS professionals, and lived experienced unpaid carers to explore how we can better support unpaid carers through the complex hospital discharge journey.
With key developments shared, questions raised, and future opportunities on the table, I’m sharing this blog to ensure everyone is informed.
A Focus on Hospital Discharge but With Carers at the Centre
The forum continues to highlight how vital carer centres are in delivering effective, compassionate discharge support. But alongside that recognition comes rising expectations: better digital access, stronger links with acute hospital teams, more formal involvement in care planning, and even new digital tools to manage carer identity and input.
Our role is growing and so is the need for collective visibility and coordinated action.
Key Themes from July’s Discussion
1. NHS England Hospital Discharge Toolkit & Care Contingency Plan As an involved carer, I delivered the NHS England update. The main message? The Care Contingency Plan (CCP) is becoming a key focus across the system. There are planning sessions due in September, and carer centres might be asked whether they can take on CCP delivery alongside existing carers assessments.
This triggered a crucial question: Will additional funding or contractual support be offered to carer centres taking on CCPs? because we can’t afford to quietly absorb additional workload without clarity on resources or expectations.
2. Digital Tools – NHS App & Carer Self-Identification With the growing digitisation of NHS services, there are plans to enable carers to self-identify via a digital route. The Universal Care Plan (UCP) is being built into the NHS app, but there’s confusion about whether a separate “carer app” is being developed too.
We’ve asked NHS England for clarification: Will carers be expected to use one NHS app to manage both contingency plans and carer registration, or will multiple systems be introduced? The answer will have implications for how we support carers with digital skills and accessibility.
3. The Bigger Picture – NHS 10-Year Plan and Local Adaptation We explored how the new 10-Year NHS Plan mentions carers primarily in the context of discharge, but offers little in terms of direct support or investment in carers themselves. Several carer centres raised concerns about being seen only as a means to improve discharge outcomes, rather than as partners in their own right.
That said, some centres are using the plan as an opportunity, working with local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to adapt and influence how the priorities are rolled out locally, including integration with neighbourhood health centres and walk-in clinics.
Peer Learning and Local Centre Updates
As always, our meeting included practical insights from carer centres embedded in local hospitals. Topics included:
Establishing hospital-based carer hubs and information desks.
Hosting monthly drop-ins for carers on specific wards (e.g. stroke and frailty).
Using ward rounds to identify and build relationships with staff willing to act as carer champions.
Overcoming challenges in gaining visibility, sustaining presence, or maintaining resource levels for in-hospital work.
Planning carers coffee mornings and pop-up stands to increase footfall and engagement.
For newer hospital-based carer workers, this space proved invaluable as a place to learn from colleagues, gather ideas, and avoid isolation.
Project Developments: What Centres Need to Know
Several borough-wide and London-wide initiatives are taking shape that could directly affect how carer centres operate in coming months:
A standard operating procedure for hospital discharge, currently being developed across South East London, is aiming to streamline how carers are engaged at discharge, with pilot sites starting this September.
In North Central London, work is underway on a web portal that makes it easier for hospital and emergency staff to refer carers into local support services including from the London Ambulance Service.
Carer Centres in several areas are starting or refreshing carer charters, carer passports, and surveys designed to codify carer involvement and measure experience across hospital pathways.
Carer support workers at one major South London hospital are re-establishing visibility post-staff transition. Efforts are underway to build new ward-level relationships and identify carer champions among staff. The centre is also exploring monthly carer drop-ins, asking the group for ideas on what works well and what doesn’t.
One East London carer centre has established a hospital-based hub on a specific ward floor, acting as a go-to space for carers needing support or information. They also run monthly drop-in sessions on elderly/frailty and stroke wards conditions where family involvement in discharge planning is often critical.
These projects are at different stages, but all point to one thing: carer centres are being asked to operate more visibly, more formally, and more digitally. It’s essential we shape this process and not just respond to it.
With NHS England’s CCP work moving fast and carer integration into digital systems ramping up, carer centres can no longer afford to remain on the sidelines.
We have a chance to be informed of policy changes early not after implementation.
Carer centres and hospitals can raise concerns about workload, training, and funding before it’s too late.
Newer or isolated workers benefit from collective knowledge-sharing and support.
This is not just another meeting, it’s one of the few cross-borough forums focused squarely on carer centres in the acute hospital context.
Looking Ahead: September Session
Our next meeting will be held usually the last week of September.
Let’s not let carers be an afterthought. Let’s make sure carer centres are seen, heard, and properly resourced.
