Forward Carers CIC has been named winner of the Outstanding Carer Service Award at the Carers UK 60th Anniversary Awards, celebrating exceptional individuals and organisations who make life better for unpaid Carers across the UK.
The national awards, hosted by actor and Carers UK ambassador Stephen Mangan, recognise the millions of people who care for friends and family members every day, often without recognition or support.
This year’s judges said:
“One finalist stood out for its innovation, reach and measurable impact — from wellbeing grants to Carers Assessments, always shaped by Carers themselves. Or as they put it, they are locally rooted, digitally enabled and shaped by Carers.”
Championing Carers through innovation, partnership and lived experience
Forward Carers is a values-led social enterprise on a mission to create Carer Friendly Communities, delivering all-age Carer support across the West Midlands and beyond. Working with over 15 community-based delivery partners, and funded by local authorities including Birmingham, Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell, Wiltshire and BCP & Dorset Councils. Forward Carers supports thousands of unpaid Carers each year through local Carer Hub services, digital resources, wellbeing grants, and the England-wide Carer Friendly Workplace and Carer ID Card programmes.
In 2024, Forward Carers:
- Registered 5,364 new Carers and delivered 3,979 one-to-one sessions
- Completed 2,654 Statutory Carers Assessments
- Supported 7,130 Carers across 989 group sessions
- Distributed £750,000 in Household Support Funds and £597,000 in Wellbeing Grants
- Registered 270 Carer Friendly Businesses and worked with 257 health professionals
- Delivered 455 specialist dementia assessments and provided 428 Max Cards for family time-out
- Engaged 500+ Carers in service design through its Carers Voice programme
Forward Carers also grant-funded 16 specialist projects tackling unmet needs among neurodiverse Carers, Carers with English as an additional language, and families supporting someone with addiction.
Over 50% of Forward Carers’ workforce are unpaid or former Carers, ensuring that lived experience is at the heart of service design, delivery and decision-making.
Lived experience at the heart of success
Programme Director, Chantell Marler, was joined on the evening by Anne Barnes, who for many years volunteered with Forward Carers as a Carer Ambassador and Parent Carer Champion before joining the team. Anne supports her adult son Andrew and knows first-hand the demands of being an unpaid Parent Carer.
“Being a Parent Carer is incredibly rewarding but also exhausting,” said Anne. “The cost-of-living crisis has made daily life even harder — every decision comes with an extra layer of worry. That’s why having services that truly understand what Carers face is so important.”
Anne’s experience reflects the reality for thousands of Carers supported by Forward Carers. As one Birmingham Carers Hub user shared:
“Forward Carers helped me see that I’m not alone. They gave me space to talk and reminded me that my wellbeing matters too.”
Another added:
“When I reached out for help, I didn’t even see myself as a Carer — now I know I am one, and that recognition has changed everything.”
Leading innovation in Carer support
In 2024, Forward Carers began development of the Online Carers Assessment, co-produced with Carers, and launched live data dashboards for commissioners, showcasing how technology can enable inclusive, scalable, and responsive support.
The organisation also expanded its reach to Dudley, Sandwell and Wiltshire, alongside the launch of a new Birmingham Young Carers Service for children aged 5–17, providing tailored wellbeing activities and family-centred support.
A values-led organisation making measurable impact
Guided by its core values — Fulfilling Potential, Family Centred, Impact Driven, Stronger in Partnership, Socially Responsible — Forward Carers’ approach is both community-based and outcome-driven.
Recent Carer feedback shows:
- 98% rated their Assessment as Good or Very Good
- 74% felt more socially connected
- 74% improved mental wellbeing
- 67% improved physical wellbeing
- 69% felt more knowledgeable in their caring role
As a Real Living Wage and four-day-week employer (100% pay, 80% hours, 100% outcomes), Forward Carers also leads by example — investing in workforce wellbeing, equity and inclusion. Its apprentice, trained through Sandwell College, was recently nominated for Apprentice of the Year in recognition of their outstanding contribution and commitment.
Looking ahead: Carers Rights Day 2025
Building on the momentum of this national recognition, Forward Carers will mark Carers Rights Day (Thursday 20 November) with a week of activities across the West Midlands to help Carers understand and claim their rights. Events will include information sessions, drop-ins, wellbeing activities and awareness training delivered through local Carer Hubs.
“This award isn’t the end of the journey — it’s a reminder of why we do what we do,” said Chantell. “We’ll continue to stand beside Carers, raising awareness of their rights and ensuring that every Carer, no matter their circumstance, gets the recognition and support they deserve.”
About Carers UK Awards
The Carers UK Awards celebrate the remarkable individuals, organisations and communities who make life better for unpaid Carers. From local volunteers and campaigners to pioneering services and employers, the awards recognise outstanding contributions in building a more Carer Friendly society.
Forward Carers CIC
Forward Carers is an award-winning, not-for-profit social enterprise that supports unpaid Carers through a network of community partners and national programmes. Its mission is to create Carer Friendly Communities by embedding Carer recognition and support across workplaces, services and local communities.
For media enquiries:
📩 info@forwardcarers.org.uk
🌐 www.forwardcarers.org.uk
📞 0121 274 0439
