There are more than 14,000 unpaid carers living in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. This includes over 1,000 young carers. Unpaid carers are people of all ages who look after a family member or friend who could not manage without their help because of illness, disability or mental health needs. Their contribution is vital yet often goes unrecognised.
To help change this, the Richmond Adult and Young Unpaid Carers Charter has been created. The Charter is a shared commitment that sets out how organisations across the borough can work together to improve support for unpaid carers.
Listening to carers voices
In 2025, a detailed report was published which brought together the experiences of more than 250 unpaid carers living in Richmond upon Thames. The Carers Charter Engagement Report was produced by Healthwatch Richmond in partnership with Richmond Carers Centre, the local council, South West London Integrated Care Board and other local partners. It gathered carers’ own accounts of what life is like for them and the changes they feel are most needed.
Carers described challenges that included a lack of recognition for their role, financial strain, difficulty accessing local services and a sense of being invisible in the community. From these responses, the report identified key areas for improvement such as better recognition of carers, clearer access to financial guidance and support, more respite and wellbeing services, improved signposting to services and more accessible community spaces and transport.
These findings directly informed the development of the Richmond Adult and Young Unpaid Carers Charter. The Charter was co-produced with carers and sets out shared priorities that local statutory bodies and voluntary organisations have agreed to work towards.
Read more about the Carers Charter Engagement Report
What the Charter aims to do
The Charter is based on the real-life experiences and views of carers in Richmond. It focuses on practical action that organisations can take to support carers more effectively.
The Charter aims to:
Improve recognition and understanding
Organisations should acknowledge the expertise and responsibilities of unpaid carers, involve them in decisions and ensure staff understand the realities of caring.
Reduce pressures linked to money, work and education
Many carers find it hard to balance caring with employment, training or further study. The Charter encourages organisations to help carers stay engaged in work or learning and to access financial information and support.
Create carer friendly services and communities
Local services and community venues should be welcoming and accessible for carers and the people they care for. This includes clear information and effective signposting to support.
Support health and wellbeing
Caring can affect both physical and mental health. The Charter promotes flexible access to health and social care, opportunities for breaks from caring and support for carers’ own wellbeing.
Why the Charter matters
Unpaid carers provide enormous value to the borough and to public services. However many carers experience stress, isolation and financial pressure as a result of their caring role. The Charter provides a clear framework for improving how carers are supported and valued locally.
The Priorities in the Charter are rooted in what carers themselves told local partners matters most to them. The Carers Charter Engagement Report provides the evidence base for these priorities, ensuring the Charter reflects carers’ lived experience.
Pledging support as an organisation
Organisations of all types in Richmond are invited to pledge their support for the Unpaid Carers Charter. This includes public services, voluntary organisations, schools, colleges, community groups and local businesses.
By pledging, organisations commit to taking practical steps to support unpaid carers. This can include raising awareness of carers’ roles, training staff, improving access to services and adopting policies that help carers balance caring with other aspects of life.
Organisations will be asked to review their progress regularly to ensure their pledges lead to meaningful change for unpaid carers.
Get involved
Supporting the Richmond Unpaid Carers Charter is an opportunity for organisations to show their commitment to unpaid carers and to help build a borough where carers feel valued and supported.
Organisations can find out more about the Charter and submit a pledge of support via the Richmond Council website.
Pledge your organisation’s support to Richmond’s Adult and Young Unpaid Carers
