Powering Carefree's booking hub so unpaid carers can take a break

Client: CAREFREE

Formed separately but with the same ambition to break new ground in the travel industry, Impala and UK charity Carefree have worked side-by-side to create a low-touch, high-impact tech solution for mobilising the distribution of the 1 million hotel rooms left unsold in the UK each week, into short breaks for unpaid carers.

With 74% facing burnout since the pandemic and 64% unable to take any breaks at all, this innovation comes at a crucial time for the social care sector which relies on unpaid carers to continue to provide 80% of home care, valued at £193bn per year (more than the entire NHS budget).

Since completing the 6-month API build in Nov 2021 to connect Carefree’s booking hub with Impala’s universal API for room distribution, 81 hotels across the UK have agreed to release circa 2000 rooms per month to the charity. 950 hotel nights have been booked by carers so far, who have scored the booking hub 9 out of 10 for ease of use in their feedback. The impact has been immediate, with 89% reporting that they couldn’t have taken a break without the initiative and 95% seeing an improvement in their wellbeing.