Shock new figures reveal that the Government has broken its promise to support carers in Derbyshire

Research published today by two of the UK's leading carers' charities, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care, reveals that up to 80% of the funding allocated by the Government for carers' support across the country is failing to reach the people it was intended to help, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Chesterfield said:

"The Government's failure to keep the promise it made last year for carers shows that Labour is more concerned in making promises which create good publicity than it is in keeping promises which improve the lives of carers and the cared-for.

"Thousands of people across the country provide help and support to relatives or friends without payment, saving the government billions of pounds. Providing adequate funding for proper support for carers should be a priority for the Government, not an afterthought.

"The Government said it would ensure that this money reached Carers -but it has failed to do so."

Information given by Derbyshire County PCT through a Freedom of Information request shows that while it has spent £150,000 more on carers for 2009/10 than the previous year, only 23% of its allocation will be spent on carers' breaks.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Labour Government announced in June 2008 that, through the National Carers Strategy, £150 million would be given to Primary Care Trusts over two financial years to provide breaks to carers.

2. This is new money, but the £150 million will be given to PCTs as part of their total allocation and PCTs will not be advised how much of the £150m is contained within their total allocation.

3. Research carried out by two of the UK's leading carers' charities Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care has found that approximately £40m of the £50m allocated will not be spent on carers' breaks.