Funding ring fenced by Cardiff council for emergency respite for carers looking after family members has not been used over the past year.
Out of a total of £159,132 put aside for carers' services, breaks, and emergency respite, only £39,228 has been spent.
In 2009 the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing department of Cardiff Council campaigned for more funding for respite care, and eventually received £50,000 extra.