AQW 22359/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 11/02/2025
Answered On Date: 26/02/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of unpaid carers registered as of 31 January 2025, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.

Answer:

At present, carers’ registers are in place regionally across Northern Ireland and maintained by the Health and Social Care Trusts, which carers can voluntarily choose to join. These registers are primarily a means of sharing information and advice with carers and for supporting carers through networks and activities. The Department does not hold information as to the numbers registered, this is held locally at Trust level, and we do not have the breakdown of the numbers by Trust on 31st January 2025. However, the Department is aware that at September 2023 these registers listed approximately 13,000 carers. The breakdown for each Trust is noted below and whilst there will have been some expected fluctuation as carers join and leave the registers, we do not expect the numbers registered to have significantly changed.

SHSCT – 1596

SEHSCT – 2700

BHSCT - 3648

WHSCT – 2670

NHSCT - 2500