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Today (24th November) is Carers Rights Day – a day dedicated to helping those who support and care for loved ones, friends and neighbours to find out about and understand their rights and what support they can access.

If you help support someone who would otherwise struggle without you, without being paid (except carers allowance), you are likely an unpaid carer. The care can be personal, emotional, practical or supervisory, and be provided to a child, relative, partner, friend or neighbour.

As unpaid carers, you make an enormous contribution to our health and care system and to our society.

Since the implementation of the Care Act in 2015, carers have more rights than ever before.

Did you know:

• You have the right to choose whether or not to be a carer:
  • You have the right to decide on your own willingness to care
  • You have the right to be supported to decide which of the cared for person’s needs you might be willing and able to support
  • You have the right to change your mind on the level of care you want to offer, or your willingness to care at all, at any time
• As a carer, you have the right for your views to be considered by Social Services when organising support for the cared for person
• As a carer, you have the right to be included as an equal partner in discharge planning for the cared for person from hospital
• You can ask for an assessment of your own needs as a carer. Under this:
  • What you want to do with your own life outside of the caring role, as well as the impact of caring on your wellbeing should be considered
  • You have the right to get support to meet any identified eligible unmet needs
  • You have the right to information on how to meet your needs, even if not eligible
•  You can ask for flexible working (this is a request to be negotiated with an employer, not an automatic right)
• Under the Equality Act, being a carer is not a protected characteristic; however, carers are protected by association with someone who has a disability, long-term condition, etc. This is for the provision of goods and services.

For more information, visit the Carers UK website or the Carers Support Centre.

Contact details for the Carers Support Service in NEL:

Telephone number: 01472 242277

Email address: info.nel@carerssupportcentre.com