08/06/2026
Behind every person we support, there’s often someone caring for them too.
This Carers Week (8–14 June), the national theme is Building Carer Friendly Communities and the latest research shows just how much that matters.
Across the UK, 11.6 million people are caring, unpaid, for someone who is ill, older or disabled. They collect the medication, manage the appointments, provide the personal care and offer the emotional support, often around the clock, and often without recognition. The findings are sobering: nearly half of carers say their role isn’t understood or valued by their community, and many tell us this takes a real toll on their health, their finances and their sense of belonging.
Many of those carers are the families of the children, young people with additional needs and adults we support.
At Special People, supporting carers isn’t a campaign - it’s built into how we work. We take the time to match each person with a support worker who genuinely fits them, so families don’t just get cover, they get continuity, trust and confidence. And with the right support in place, carers can do something they’re so rarely able to: step back, breathe, and look after themselves too.
Because a carer friendly community is built on practical, dependable support, the kind that lets families keep doing the extraordinary thing they do every day.
To every unpaid carer out there: we see you, we value you, and we’re proud to stand beside you. 💚
Statistics: Carers Week 2026 report,
