Carers Trust
Supporting unpaid carers through long-term partnership
Pears Foundation’s commitment to supporting unpaid carers as one of Carers Trust’s most valued and longstanding funders makes a significant difference to the lives of carers across the UK. Their generous grants enable Carers Trust to have a long term impact on the lives of unpaid carers and the work of Carers Trust and our Network Partners. We are grateful for their passion for unpaid carers, their close interest in what we do, and the trust they demonstrate in allowing us to use their funding where it is most needed and where it can make a real impact on the lives of carers.Kirsty McHugh,
Chief Executive Officer
Carers are the backbone of society, working tirelessly, and often without recognition, to support loved ones and family members in need, and yet they themselves are so often left without support. We are proud to support Carers Trust in its efforts to improve the wellbeing of carers throughout the UK.Sir Trevor Pears CMG
Partner since: 2002
Funding invested: £7.2m
- Core: Unrestricted funding; support for merger; mentoring for Network CEOs
- Project: Young carers website; Policy work; Direct grants for carers; DCMS Community Match Challenge
Millions of people across the UK provide unpaid care for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or living with mental health or addiction problems. While caring can be rewarding, it can also have a profound impact on carers’ physical and mental health, finances, employment and relationships. The support carers need often changes over time as their caring responsibilities evolve.
Pears Foundation has partnered with Carers Trust for more than two decades because we recognise that supporting unpaid carers requires a long-term, flexible approach. Alongside unrestricted funding, our partnership has evolved to meet changing needs, helping Carers Trust strengthen its organisation, support its network of local partners and provide practical help directly to carers across the UK.
Our relationship began in 2002 with the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, supporting policy and campaigning work and a dedicated website for young carers. Following the merger with Crossroads Care to form Carers Trust in 2012, our partnership continued to grow through long-term core funding that has enabled the charity to develop its services and respond flexibly to new challenges.
Alongside core funding, we support Carers Trust’s Direct Grants programme, providing practical financial assistance that helps carers respond to the challenges of everyday life. This might mean helping a carer replace a vital household appliance, reduce energy costs, access digital tools or take a short break to protect their wellbeing. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we also partnered with Carers Trust through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Community Match Challenge, enabling the charity to distribute funding to its network of local partners to tackle isolation, expand respite provision and address digital exclusion.
Together, these investments reflect our belief that unpaid carers deserve support that is as flexible as the responsibilities they shoulder. By combining long-term unrestricted funding with targeted support for emerging needs, our partnership has helped Carers Trust strengthen both its national organisation and the local network that carers rely on every day