MILLIONS of unpaid carers have experienced “diminishing help” from councils and the government, a think tank has warned.

According to an analysis by Nuffield Trust, the number of carers receiving direct support from their local authority dropped by 11 per cent over five years from 121,000 in 2015-16 to 108,000 in 2020-21. 

Instead, councils have been signposting carers towards other information and support services, the think tank said.