Which MPs and peers raise unpaid carers most in Parliament?

Chris Vince, Munira Wilson, Wendy Chamberlain lead the ranking of MPs and peers on unpaid carers, based on every Hansard contribution since 9 July 2024.

How is the unpaid carers ranking calculated?

Vital Signs ranks MPs and members of the House of Lords by a weighted score of their Hansard contributions on Unpaid carers — speeches, written questions and committee work — over the course of this Parliament (since 9 July 2024). Ministerial statements and debate speeches carry more weight than written answers; every contribution counts at full weight however early in the Parliament it was made. Contributions are matched to this topic on whole-word keyword matching, so "send" is never mistaken for SEND and "career" is never mistaken for care. Ministers and shadow ministers are labelled, because answering on a brief is their job rather than a choice to raise it; their scores are shown as-is, not adjusted.

Unpaid carers: which MPs and peers raise it most

Since the start of this Parliament, 272 MPs and peers have raised Unpaid carers in Hansard debates, written questions and committee work. Debate has intensified recently: the last two months produced 45% more mentions than the two months before that.

The debate has been led most vocally by Chris Vince (Labour (Co-op), Harlow), whose score of 126.0 is 1.4× that of the next most active contributor, Munira Wilson.

By party, Labour leads with 54% of weighted activity, followed by Liberal Democrat (29%) and Conservative (10%). The House of Commons accounts for 79% of all weighted activity on Unpaid carers.

Most cited voices

UK clinicians, academics and sector leaders most frequently quoted as expert sources in press coverage of unpaid carers.

Heidi Watson
3 citations
Chief Executive Officer of Carers' ResourceSector leader
“Carers' Resource has worked closely with North Yorkshire Council and other partners to prepare this draft strategy using the experience and knowledge gained by supporting unpaid carers in Harrogate, Craven and Selby for 30 years.”
Craven residents asked to help shape support for unpaid carers
Emma Kirby
1 citation
Professor of Sociology at UNSW Sydney
“'Different forms of cognitive impairment, dementia, Alzheimer's, different illnesses and diseases and frailties, manifest in very complicated ways over time and that can play out in anger, in resentment, in frustration, that often the carers have to bear the brunt of,' says Emma Kirby, Professor of Sociology at UNSW Sydney.”
Will Burnham’s Plan to Reform Social Care Help Unpaid Carers?
Emily Holzhausen
1 citation
Carers UKSector leader
“'[We know] the devastating impact that substantial unpaid care of over twenty hours per week can have on carers' health, wellbeing and ability to juggle work and care,' says Emily Holzhausen at Carers UK.”
Will Burnham’s Plan to Reform Social Care Help Unpaid Carers?
Professor Alan Gow
1 citation
Professor of Psychology at Heriot-Watt University and Co-Lead of CONSOLIDATE
“We were delighted to release our lived experience report, and we are extremely grateful to the people and organisations who supported that, ensuring it was shaped by the voices of over 300 people.”
People living with dementia shape national priorities for technology and independence
Philippa Armstrong-Owen
1 citation
director of business services at Alliance HomesSector leader
“We recognise that our role extends beyond just housing. We're committed to supporting stronger communities, improving the wellbeing of residents and helping people access the support they need.”
Charity gala raises £1,650 to give unpaid carers a day of respite
Kulvant Sandhu
1 citation
senior programme manager for unpaid carers at NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care BoardSector leader
“An innovative digital solution that helps carers coordinate care more effectively by ensuring important information is readily available, including carer identification and emergency contingency arrangements.”
Unpaid carers app launches in West Yorkshire
Lulu Sinclair
1 citation
BACP-accredited psychotherapist
“Life nowadays makes it hard for lots of adult children to give up everything to look after their parents”
Alisoun Milne
1 citation
Professor of social gerontology and social work at the University of Kent
“There is no sense that family today feels any less obliged than it ever did to support parents”

Vital Signs — Unpaid carers

Vital Signs — Unpaid carers

Mentions since the start of this Parliament

How the ranking works

Debate analysis

Media coverage

Most cited voices