Borders Carers Centre Annual Review

Ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, the National Carer Organisations have launched the 2026 Carers Manifesto, Supporting unpaid carers and young carers in 2026 and beyond. This manifesto urges all political parties to commit to supporting unpaid carers – recognising that 3 in 5 of us will become carers at some point in our lives. It outlines 10 key asks that we urge all political parties to adopt — to ensure carers are valued, included, and supported. Read the full manifesto and the 10 asks here: https://www.carersnet.org/carers-manifesto-for-2026…/

Yesterday, the Scottish Parliament passed the Care Reform Bill, and for the first time, unpaid carers in Scotland will have a legal right to breaks from caring. Along with the other national carer organisations, we have been campaigning for a right to breaks from caring for a number of years. The passing of the Bill yesterday is a huge step forward for Scotland’s 800,000 unpaid carers – many of whom are running on empty, juggling impossible demands with little or no support. The introduction of this new right has the potential to be truly life-changing. But we know that rights only matter if they can be realised. Turning this commitment into something carers can actually access will take time, funding, and serious action, especially around investment in suitable replacement care. We’ll be working closely with the Scottish Government and partners to make sure this right isn’t just on paper, but…

We are absolutely delighted to announce that we have been awarded Carers Trust Scotland Excellence for Carers award – The organisational standard for best practice in delivering services, information and advice to unpaid carers. The award follows a rigorous assessment of our services and is proof that local carers, our partners, stakeholders and commissioners/funders can be confident they are partnering with a dedicated service that proves best practice and sustainability is embedded in our culture and practice.