Thursday 21 November 2024 is Carers Rights Day, which aims to help carers recognise and understand their rights, as well as the support available to them when they need it.
A carer is someone (of any age) who provides support to a family member, friend or neighbour who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction or who needs extra help to carry out daily activities as they grow older. Unpaid carers aren’t volunteers or someone who is employed to provide support. These responsibilities develop out of existing loving relationships. [1]
Many unpaid carers don’t see themselves as carers. As such are often unaware of their legal rights and what they’re entitled to in terms of support and benefits.[2]
Knowing your rights as a carer can give you confidence to ask for what you need and challenge when your needs are not being met. This could be in relation to health and social care, being recognised by other professionals and being meaningfully involved in the discussions and arrangements for the support of the person you care for.
More importantly, it’s also about understanding your rights as a person, acknowledging, and gaining support for your own health and wellbeing needs, physically, mentally, financially whether you are in in education, at work, or a full-time carer.
As a carer you have the right to:
- Access a local advice and information service
Your local advice and information service for adults is Carers of East Lothian, based at the community hospital in Haddington. Young carers (under the age of 18) can get advice and information from East Lothian Councils Young Carers service. For more information visit www.eastlothian.gov.uk/support-for-carers or call Carers of East Lothian on 0131 665 0135 www.coel.org.uk.
- Request an Adult Carer Support Plan (ACSP)
Adult Carer Support Plans are usually completed with support from Carers of East Lothian who will help you think about the impact of caring, what really matters to you and what support you could have in place that would make a difference to your individual situation.
- Request a Young Carer Statement (YCS)
Young Carers Statements are completed with support from our Young Carers Service. Similar to the Adult Support Plan, they identify ways young carers can be supported in their daily lives to help with their caring responsibilities. Young Carers can register with the Council service by completing a brief questionnaire on the website: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/young-carers
- Access support if you have eligible needs
Your adult carer support plan might identify needs that cannot be met by universal supports. If this is the case, you may be eligible to access further grant support from the East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership.
- Be consulted on services for you or the person you’re caring for
You should have the chance to have your say on your own support or the support for the person you care for.In all circumstances you should be treated as an ‘equal partner in care’.
- Be included in hospital discharge planning for the person you are caring for
If the person you care for is admitted to hospital you should be identified as early as possible and included in the discharge planning for the person you care for. Carers of East Lothian work closely with East Lothian Community Hospital staff to support carers of people in hospital.
- Up to 5 days unpaid leave to better balance work with caring responsibilities
The Carers Leave Act came into effect in 2024.This law enables carers to gain access to specific employment rights regarding taking time off work.Employees who are carers are able to take up to 5 days unpaid leave to better balance work with caring responsibilities.[3] This can be taken flexibly, in small amounts to attend appointments for example, or in half, full days, or a whole block of five days. Speak to your employer about how they can support you at work.
Fiona Wilson, Joint Director and Chief Officer of East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership comments, “The support unpaid carers provide is invaluable. Not only to the individuals they support but also to society. The support, commitment and dedication provided by unpaid carers in insurmountable. The care industry relies on their vital assistance, which is why it is so important that carers are aware, understand, and make use of their rights and the services available to help and support them.”