With the NHS under strain and critical incidents declared at several hospital trusts including The Royal Surrey, carers are reaching breaking point.

The charity Crossroads Care Surrey said support cuts have left families increasingly vulnerable.

Last year Surrey County Council ended a contract with the charity to provide government-funded respite breaks for unpaid carers, despite it being due to run until March 2027. Crossroads Care said the decision has left families vulnerable and is calling on the council to recognise respite care as an essential preventative service.

The council replaced the contract with a one-off voucher scheme aimed at reaching more carers. Sinead Mooney, the council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said the vouchers give carers “complete flexibility over how they take their wellbeing breaks”, whether through an activity, hobby, day trip or overnight stay, with ongoing respite support available through a carers’ assessment.

Cllr Mooney said the vouchers had proved popular, but the charity said they paid for only eight to nine hours of respite care, compared with around 70 hours previously. She said only a small number of carers used vouchers for agency replacement care, suggesting carers wanted more flexible options.

Terry Hawkins, chief executive of Crossroads Care Surrey, said: “The council says it is listening to carers but the evidence shows otherwise. Their own research showed carers needed more hours, continuity and confidence in replacement care. A £300 voucher is not a break, it’s a token gesture.

“Respite care helps prevent crisis before it happens. Without adequate support, carers face burnout, which leads to increased GP visits and hospital admissions at a time when the NHS is under extreme pressure.”

Research by Carers UK and the Centre for Care estimates unpaid carers provide £184 billion worth of care each year, equivalent to the cost of running the NHS.