Who is a Carer?

A Carer is anyone who provides unpaid support to family and friends who could not manage without this help. This could be caring for a relative, partner, child or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems.

Over 6 million people, in the UK are carers, that's around 1 in 8 people and nearly 3 million people in the UK juggle care with work. There are currently 175, 000 young carers (under 18).

A Carers life is often restricted by the need to be on call 24 hours a day,because the person they look after can not be safely left alone for long periods.

Carers are often under a great deal of physical and emotional strain through the demanding work of caring for someone heavily dependent upon them. They might be trying to hold down a paid job as well and have other family commitments.

If you are a Carer

Carers have a legal right to request an assessment of their own needs. This is your chance to discuss with your Local Authority what help you need with caring. You can discuss any help that would maintain your own health, and balance caring with other aspects of your life, such as work and family. Social Services will then use the assessment to decide whether you fit the Local Authority criteria for help and if so, what help to provide.

You should be able to have a separate assessment in the following situations:

• Where you're providing regular and substantial care to someone. Social services will also check that you're over 16, if you're looking after a disabled child or someone over 18 for whom they may provide community care services.
• As part of the process of assessment when the person you're looking after is being discharged from hospital.
• When you're looking after someone with mental health problems who is on the Care Programme Approach.
• As a parent carer of a disabled child under 18. In this case, you have a right to separate assessment of your own if the assessment for the child under the Children Act does not fully take account of your needs.

If you are still in doubt as to whether you are a carer, or for further information please call 0161 763 4163.