Don’t Balance the Books on the Backs of Carers

Surrey County Council’s decision to scrap funded respite breaks for unpaid carers and replace them with a one-off £300 voucher has left families across Waverley devastated.

For more than a decade, respite services delivered through Crossroads Care Surrey provided carers with meaningful replacement care — often around 70 hours of support a year. That meant trained professionals stepping in so carers could rest, attend appointments, or simply recover from the relentless pressures of caring.

That support has now been replaced with a single £300 pre-paid card.

At typical care agency rates, £300 equates to just 8–9 hours of replacement care. This is not a like-for-like replacement — it is a dramatic reduction in practical help for those already under enormous strain.

The decision has prompted a petition organised by Crossroads Care Surrey calling on Surrey County Council to reverse the cut. The petition makes clear that respite care is not a luxury — it is essential preventative support that keeps carers going and prevents crisis.

Unpaid carers are the backbone of Surrey’s care system. They save taxpayers millions by enabling loved ones to remain at home rather than entering residential care. But when carers burn out, the consequences are serious: hospital admissions increase, care arrangements break down, and far more expensive interventions are required.

The Liberal Democrats believe this is a false economy. Cutting from around 70 hours of structured respite to a one-off £300 voucher risks costing far more in the long run. Prevention is always cheaper than crisis.

In Waverley, carers tell us they feel undervalued and overlooked. They are not asking for special treatment — only the practical support that allows them to continue caring.

We stand with them and call for proper respite funding to be reinstated. Supporting carers is not just the compassionate choice — it is a financially responsible one.