If you are an unpaid carer, it's important to get the support you need. A carer's assessment is a way to determine what assistance and resources can help you in your caregiving role. This assessment is free and available to any carer over the age of 18, regardless of the amount of care you provide.

Getting a carer’s assessment could be the first step to gaining vital support. It’s your opportunity to discuss the help you need as a carer. Which in turn can make life easier for you and the person you care for.

If you are balancing work with caregiving responsibilities, you have the right to request flexible working arrangements. The new Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act allows anyone, including unpaid carers, to ask their employer for adjustments to their working hours, work schedule, or place of work from the first day of employment. Additionally, the Act permits changes to flexible working arrangements more than once a year, providing much-needed support and flexibility. For more detailed information and guidance, please click here.

The Equality Act 2010 offers several key protections for unpaid carers, ensuring they are not discriminated against due to their caregiving responsibilities. Here are the main points:

1. Protection Against Discrimination: The Act protects carers from direct discrimination, associative discrimination, and harassment in relation to their association with a disabled person.

2. Direct Discrimination: Unpaid carers cannot be treated less favorably than others because of their caregiving duties. For example, an employer cannot refuse to hire someone solely because they care for a disabled person.

3. Associative Discrimination: This protection extends to situations where carers are discriminated against due to their association with someone who has a protected characteristic, such as a disability.

4. Harassment: The Act protects carers from harassment related to their caregiving responsibilities. This means they should not be subjected to unwanted behavior that violates their dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.

5. Reasonable Adjustments: Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of carers. This could include flexible working arrangements, modified work hours, or other changes that help carers balance their work and caregiving responsibilities.

6. Public Services and Functions: The Act also applies to public services and functions, ensuring that carers receive fair treatment when accessing services like healthcare, education, or social services.

7. Support in the Workplace: The Equality Act encourages workplaces to develop supportive policies and practices that recognize and accommodate the needs of carers, promoting a more inclusive and understanding work environment.

These protections help ensure that unpaid carers can manage their caregiving responsibilities without facing unfair treatment or discrimination.

Unpaid carers now have enhanced rights to take leave for their caregiving responsibilities, thanks to the Carer’s Leave Act that became law earlier this year (2024). This legislation grants employees who are balancing work with unpaid care the legal right to up to five days of unpaid leave per annum. This provision will significantly help carers manage some of the day-to-day challenges they face, allowing them to fulfill their caregiving duties without sacrificing their employment. Employers are required to accommodate such requests within reasonable bounds, recognising the vital role that unpaid carers play. For more specific details about your rights and how to apply for unpaid carers leave, please see our Work and Career section.

If you provide unpaid care, you can ask your GP practice to identify you as a carer on your patient record. This can place you in a priority group for vaccines and other public health initiatives. Cornwall Carers Service offers guidance on discussing this with your GP.

Respite care provides temporary relief for unpaid carers, giving you a much-needed break while ensuring the person you care for continues to receive quality care.

You may be entitled to Respite care once your carer’s assessment has been evaluated. You may also be eligible to financial assistance to cover the cost of this service. There are various types of respite care available in Cornwall, including in-home care, day care centers, and short-term residential stays.