Campaigners have claimed ministers are "in danger of looking as if they made empty promises" if they don't make a statement soon on their policies for carers, according to Community Care.

The parties all appealed to those in social care jobs throughout the election, but have yet to deliver on the promises made.

Gordon Conochie, policy and parliamentary officer at the Princes Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care, said politicians were "falling over themselves" to appeal to carers. "Having made those promises to carers, they have failed to deliver," he said.

The Lib Dems backed giving full-time carers the right to a week's break a year, but this hasn't been carried across into the coalition's programme for government. The Conservatives proposed giving carers increased access to direct payments, but as of yet there is no detail about this, and no other mention of carers in the programme for government.

Emily Holzhausen, director of policy and public affairs at Carers UK said: "The new secretary of state and his team have outlined their intentions for the 21st century welfare reform, and it is now critical that they set a target to ensure that carers are not left in financial hardship as a result of caring."

The Labour government made promises to review benefits after the financial and employment support given to carers was criticised.