2025-26 Survey of Adult Carers in England FAQ

Who is conducting this survey?

This survey is being carried out on behalf of NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care. All local authorities with adult social care responsibilities in England, including Southampton City Council, have to carry out this survey every two years. This is the seventh time we have carried out this survey.

What is the purpose of this survey?

The results will be used by Southampton City Council, NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care to monitor how effectively we are supporting unpaid carers in their caring role. We will use the results of the survey to inform decisions about how services are supplied to carers so it’s vital that as many carers as possible complete the survey and return it to us.

The survey is part of the national Carers Strategy, introduced in 2008. The key aims of this strategy is that carers will not be forced into financial hardship; carers will be supported to stay mentally and physically well and be treated with dignity; carers will be able to have a life of their own alongside their caring role; and carers will be respected as expert care partners.

What information is being collected?

The survey has 33 questions relating to the carer and the person or people they care for. The responses will be aggregated and then published by NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care to monitor satisfaction with the carer’s services we provide, and Southampton (but not individual carers) will be identifiable in these results.

When is the survey being sent out?

This survey will be sent out during the first week of October. Reminder letters and questionnaires will be sent out to non-respondents in early November.

Who is eligible to receive a questionnaire?

The survey will be sent to approximately 1,600 carers who are not paid to provide care. This could be a next of kin, another family member, a neighbour, or a friend. Any carer who received a direct payment for their caring role, who were assessed or reviewed, or who just received information / advice / advocacy or signposting to another agency during the last year are included in the survey.

How is my personal data protected during the survey?

The survey has been subject to a Data Protection Impact Assessment by the city council, and all personally identifiable information will be held securely and not shared inappropriately with anyone else.

“The information collected about you during this survey will only be used for the purposes of research. We may use it to contact you about this. We will only share your information with other organisations or council departments if we need to. The survey responses will be analysed by Southampton City Council, NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care. We may also share it to prevent, investigate or prosecute criminal offences, or as the law otherwise allows. Please be aware that any comments given on this form may be published in reports. However, the council will endeavour to remove any references that could identify individuals or organisations. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle your personal data, and we can provide a copy if you are unable to access the Internet.”

Visual impaired and non-English speakers

Carers with a visual impairment will receive a large print version of the questionnaire. People who cannot read English will have the opportunity to fill in a Translation Request Sheet so we can send a version of the questionnaire in their own language.

More information on the survey can be found here:

Survey of adult carers in England 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK

The national report for the previous carer’s survey can be found here:

Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England, 2023-24 - NHS England Digital