NEW research has found that spending on NHS support for unpaid carers has fallen – despite millions of pounds of extra funding being allocated for the purpose.

A year after the government allocated £400 million to primary care trusts for England’s five million carers, a study by the Princess Royal Trust and Crossroads Care looked into how it was being invested.

It found that the PCTs had spent £2.4 million less this year, with only 26 per cent publishing their spending plans, in defiance of government orders.

In a league table showing how much of their budget 106 PCTs spend on services for carers, NHS Bournemouth and Poole came 86th and NHS Dorset 97th.

According to the report, NHS Bournemouth and Poole spent £171,00 of its £573,647,000 budget on carer-specific services, while Dorset spent £50,000 out of £653,253,000.

Both trusts say they have not reduced the money they spend on carers this year.

Dorset has been given £183,000 additional funding to help carers access short breaks, while Bournemouth and Poole has received £156,000.

A spokesman for the trusts pledged: “We will continue to work with our respective partners to ensure that this increase in funding is spent as a result of consultation with carers, and provides services in ways that they feel most appropriately meet their needs.”

Liz Fenton, chief executive of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, said: “We applaud the PCTs who have made a mark with innovative approaches to carers’ breaks and improved respite care.

“A minority of PCTs is still not investing anything at all, or a very small amount, in supporting carers.

“We understand that PCTs are under financial pressure – but strongly caution that failing to support carers does not make economic sense and is morally indefensible.”

Anne Roberts, chief executive of Crossroads Care, added: “Having a break can make all the difference to a carers’ health and well-being and enable them to continue in their caring role.

“We need PCTs to be up front and transparent about how they budget their support for carers.”