Oxfordshire shines a light on unpaid carers ahead of Carers Week
Oxfordshire County Council is marking Carers Week 2026 (8–14 June) by recognising the vital contribution unpaid carers make and highlighting the support available to them across the county.
Carers Week is a national awareness campaign led by Carers UK. This year’s theme, Building Carer Friendly Communities, highlights the importance of communities, workplaces and services working together so carers are identified early, listened to and supported.
There are an estimated 50,000 unpaid carers in Oxfordshire, caring for family members, friends or neighbours who are older, disabled or living with illness. While caring can be rewarding, it can also have a significant impact on their health, finances and employment.
Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Unpaid carers play a vital role in our communities, often providing support quietly and without recognition.
“Carers Week is an opportunity to thank carers for everything they do, raise awareness of the pressures they can face, and make sure they know where to turn for support.
“We are committed to working with partners to build more carer‑friendly communities across Oxfordshire, where carers are identified early, listened to, and supported to look after their own wellbeing alongside their caring roles.”
As part of Carers Week, the council will share information throughout the week to encourage people to seek support and to underline its commitment to being a carer‑friendly organisation and employer.
The council works closely with Carers Oxfordshire, which is commissioned to provide information, advice and support for unpaid carers across the county. This includes help to understand caring roles, access carers’ assessments, take breaks from caring and look after wellbeing.
Paul Ringer, Chief Executive of Age UK Oxfordshire, said: “Caring can be deeply rewarding but it can also be exhausting and isolating, especially when people feel they have to cope alone.
“Carers Week is an important opportunity to shine a light on the vital contribution those providing unpaid care make, and to work together alongside partners such as Oxfordshire County Council, to build more carer‑friendly communities where they feel seen, heard and properly supported.
“Through our work at Carers Oxfordshire, we see every day the difference that timely, local support can make.”
This work is underpinned by Oxfordshire’s all-age unpaid carers strategy, which was co‑produced with carers and voluntary and community sector partners. The strategy sets out practical commitments to:
- Identify carers earlier, including those who may not see themselves as carers.
- Ensure carers can easily find advice and support.
- Support carers’ health and wellbeing, including access to breaks and personal budgets where eligible.
- Help carers balance caring with work, education and everyday life.
As an employer, Oxfordshire County Council recognises that many colleagues balance work alongside caring responsibilities. The council supports working carers through flexible working arrangements and its internal carers’ network, which provides a supportive space for staff to connect and find out about help available inside and outside the organisation.
As part of the week’s activities, the council will host an all day Carers Week event at County Hall on Tuesday 9 June, open to colleagues who are carers and the people they care for, as well as allies and colleagues who want to find out more. Children and adults are welcome.
The event will provide a welcoming and inclusive space with information stands from Carers Oxfordshire, interactive sessions on developing new tools to support carers, informal networking and the opportunity to hear from Karen Fuller, chair of the carers’ network, and council colleagues working in areas such as wellbeing.
Carers and their families are encouraged to visit Carers Oxfordshire to find more out about local support. Information is also available through Live Well Oxfordshire.
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