Local government has long recognised a difficult reality: many residents only seek help when they are already overwhelmed. At that point, problems are harder to solve, and support is more costly to deliver. Digital tools now offer councils a practical way to spot needs earlier and connect residents to help before they reach breaking point. Support for unpaid carers demonstrates the power of this approach.
The hidden workforce
Unpaid carers are people who provide care and support to family members, friends, or neighbours who require assistance for various reasons. They do so without payment. In the UK, there are around 5.8 million of them. Their contribution is estimated to be worth over £160 billion a year, more than the annual budget of the NHS.
Yet this enormous workforce remains largely invisible. Around 1.7 million carers provide more than 50 hours of care each week. Many do not identify as carers at all, which means they miss out on assessments, financial support and local services.
The Care Act 2014 gave carers the right to an assessment of their needs. However, it is challenging to reach people who are unaware of these services.
The challenge for councils
Most local authorities already have robust resources for carers: assessment pathways, support services, local partnerships, and wellbeing programmes. The problem isn’t a lack of provision. It’s a lack of connection.
Usually routes into support rely on carers actively contacting the council, often during office hours and often after crisis occurred. Carers don’t know what’s available. Information sits across multiple websites, PDFs and phone lines. Navigating the system requires time and energy that carers don’t have. Meanwhile, social care teams are stretched thin. Staff handle complex casework while routine enquiries and assessments queue up.
The traditional response has involved lengthy procurement processes. Councils issue RFPs seeking end-to-end carer support solutions, including new premises, additional staff, and contracted services. These projects can cost up to and over £1 million. Implementation takes months. Ultimately, councils often find themselves with another siloed system rather than a genuine transformation in how carers access help.
A smarter approach
There is another way. Rather than rebuilding from scratch, councils can use AI to unlock the resources they already have.
Tovie AI, a UK-based AI automation company with experience delivering digital solutions for local government, offers councils a different approach. Their technology creates a single digital front door for carer support: an AI-powered tool that’s available 24/7 through voice and text.
The system works simply, with empathy at its core. Carers access an online portal where they are guided through a supportive conversation, rather than a form. The AI uses plain, friendly language and responds thoughtfully to what carers share, helping them feel listened to rather than processed. As carers explain their situation, the tool gently identifies their needs and offers tailored recommendations for local services and resources. Where a formal assessment or human support is needed, the system gathers the relevant information in a calm, structured way and passes it on to council staff, ensuring carers do not have to repeat their story
This isn’t about replacing human contact. Carers who prefer to speak with someone can still do so. However, the AI handles initial enquiries, gathers information, and connects people with the appropriate support. Social care teams can then focus their time on cases that genuinely require professional expertise.
Early identification at scale
The real power of this approach lies in early identification. AI tools make it easy to seek help early. A carer worrying about how they’ll cope next month can access guidance at 11 pm without filling out forms or waiting for a callback. The technology meets people where they are.
Councils can also use AI systems proactively. Outbound communications, whether through email, text, or voice calls, can reach residents who may be caring for others without realising help exists. This shifts the model from reactive to preventive.
Tovie AI has already demonstrated what’s possible through work with UK councils. Their voice AI solutions have shown strong results in adult social care settings, with over 70 per cent of automated calls achieving successful outcomes while freeing significant staff time for more complex work.
Central hubs for local resources
Rather than scattering information across council websites, centralised digital hubs for carers can bring everything together: from local services to assessment tools to wellbeing resources.
AI makes these hubs intelligent, guiding carers to relevant information. For councils, this approach maximises existing investments. Years of work developing carer support services and creating assessment frameworks: none of this is wasted. With AI, residents can finally discover the resources their council has already assembled.
Besides, AI offers a fundamentally different value proposition. Implementation costs a fraction of what traditional approaches require. Tovie AI’s solutions can integrate with existing council systems rather than requiring costly infrastructure changes. Benefits begin quickly rather than after years of development.
The Tony Blair Institute estimates that AI could save local government £8 billion annually across all services. For carer support specifically, the savings come from reduced crisis interventions and staff time redirected to high-value work.
Keeping people at the centre
Technology works best when it enhances human connection, not replaces it. The most effective AI tools for carer support are designed with this principle in mind.
Carers who want to complete an online assessment can do so. Those who prefer a phone conversation can request one. People with complex needs are escalated to trained staff. The AI handles volume and routine tasks. Humans provide empathy, judgment and professional expertise.
This balance matters particularly for unpaid carers, many of whom feel isolated. The goal isn’t to create another impersonal system. It’s to ensure that when someone reaches out for help, they receive an immediate and genuinely useful response.
Moving forward
The case for change is clear. Councils have resources. Carers need support. AI can connect the two at scale, at speed and at a fraction of historical costs.
For authorities exploring this approach, Tovie AI represents an experienced partner with proven capability in UK local government settings. Their technology is specifically designed for public services: secure, accessible and focused on outcomes that matter.
Unpaid carers will continue to provide billions of pounds’ worth of care to their communities. Councils can ensure they know help is available. With the right digital tools, that becomes not just possible but practical.
- For more information about AI solutions for carer support, visit tovie.ai