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Unpaid Carers and the Care Act 2014
The Care Act gives adult unpaid carers the right to receive support and protection from their local authority.
The primary way to get this support is through a Carer’s Assessment.
As an unpaid carer, let your GP know that you are looking after someone and ask your GP for a referral for a carer’s assessment.
By telling your GP that you are an unpaid carer, that role will be recorded on your notes – which means you will get additional help and support to manage your own health and well-being.
If you look after an adult who couldn’t manage without your help, you have a right to have your own needs assessed.
A carer’s assessment looks at:
- the care you provide and how this affects your life
- ways you can access support and what you would like to achieve
- your strengths and capabilities
- types of support available to you in the community
Preparation, practice and peer support
- Creating a climate where it is OK to talk about caring
- Helping carers to identify themselves
- Set up and support a workplace carers network
- Provide a go-to point of contact in the workplace
- Offer a mentor or buddy
- Time off when needed (planned or long-term)
- Rearrange their duties
- Work from home options
- Flexible working hours
- Quiet place to work from if needed
- Childcare support
- Well-being schemes
- Identify training needs
- Signposting staff to Crossroads Care Surrey for help
- Join Crossroads Care Surrey as a business supporter
Promotion
- Help with awareness raising activities (support from Crossroads Care Surrey is available on request)
- Identifying champions and role models
- Training for managers and staff (support from Crossroads Care Surrey is available on request)
Policies
- Be aware of carers’ rights at work
- Review existing policies to include caring and carers (support from Crossroads Care Surrey is available on request)
- Developing a specific carers policy, guidance or framework (support from Crossroads Care Surrey is available on request)
Useful resources from Crossroads Care Surrey
- Carer support services directory
- The Surrey carers card
- Talks and awareness events to reach unpaid carers before they hit crisis point
- Working with you to tailor information to carers’ needs
- The unpaid carers hub
Unpaid carer’s leave
Employees are entitled to unpaid leave to give or arrange care for a ‘dependant’.
