The Pledge has been developed by the Helping Harry Trust, set up by Hayley Charlesworth in 2020 whose young son Harry lives with multiple disabilities. It offers emotional support and respite to families with children living with serious illnesses and or profound disabilities, as well as practical guidance on how they can advocate for their children’s future care.

With over fifty social landlords now signed up, the Pledge asks care providers, housing associations, and local authorities to undertake four key commitments. These include being carer-friendly employers, making community space accessible, devising clear career progression pathways for carers, and building more accessible homes.

Commenting on today’s announcement, United Response’s Director of Housing and Development Be McCarroll said: “We are delighted to sign Harry’s Pledge today. Our team of 3,400 staff works across 330 locations in England and Wales to support around 2,000 people aged 16 to 65+. By taking part, we aim to demonstrate our solidarity and commitment to supporting young disabled people and providing better professional development pathways to carers.

“Despite successive governments’ claims to the contrary, Britain’s social care model needs urgent reform and remains a low priority on the political agenda. Whilst we have heard separate commitments from the two candidates for Prime Minister to increase health and social care spending, neither have specified a clear plan for how that money will fill support provision gaps or tackle the NHS’s recruitment and retention crisis for social care staff.

“By signing Harry’s Pledge, United Response joins a coalition of advocates, families, and housing organisations campaigning for immediate and decisive change. We want to see a social care system that not only meets the needs of its users but operates on a culture of fairness and empathy – where services are accessible, families have respite, and carers feel personally and professionally supported.”

Julie Doyle, Chief Executive of Longhurst Group, whose grandson Harry inspired the name of the campaign, added: “We’re delighted that United Response have shown their commitment to carers by signing up to Harry’s Pledge. They do fantastic work and we’re incredibly grateful for their support.

“The more organisations that sign up, the bigger impact the campaign will have, meaning we can make a positive difference to so many more people who provide care, and those who receive it.

“The commitments outlined in Harry’s Pledge are eminently achievable and inexpensive, we just need to see things through a different lens and change our philosophy.”