New deal saves carer support centre from closure

An agreement has been reached to keep Swindon Carers Centre open

A centre that supports 5,700 unpaid carers has been saved from closure after reaching an agreement with the council.

Swindon Carers Centre (SCC) had announced on Monday that it would close at the end of the year after pulling out of negotiations for a new contract with Swindon Borough Council (SBC) and the county's integrated care board (ICB).

The charity said its auditors did not see a new contract as financially viable, but all parties have since reached an agreement which will secure the service's future until December 2025.

SBC said the "provision will give stability to carer support" in the town.

The council added that the decision would allow it "to review commissioning processes before going through a full and quality procurement for the carer services contract to start in January 2026".

"We acknowledge this has been a difficult and uncertain few days for unpaid carers in Swindon and for Swindon Carers Centre’s staff and volunteers and we are all committed to working in partnership to ensure services remain carer focused and of high quality," it added.

Before the agreement was reached, bosses at the centre said they would have been "devastated" had the centre closed after 27 years of operating.

SCC is a member of the nationally-run Carers Trust - a charity that operates a network of more than 130 local carer support organisations.