Know your rights as a carer

Carers Rights Day takes place on 26th November, focused around making sure that carers are aware of their rights and have access to the relevant advice and support services. From medical support, to financial options, and legal advice; there’s a lot more than just the caring to cover when you become a carer for the first time. There is a lot of help and advice out there for carers, but the amount of information can be overwhelming or difficult to access. This can cause confusion for carers looking to find solutions for property, financial, medical or legal needs. 

We recently asked carers in our community if they feel aware of their rights as carers and the resounding answer was no. They highlighted that they’re sure there is something in place already but they struggle finding a way to access the relevant information or services. They particularly felt that they were not sufficiently financially supported as a carer, communicating the need for more advice and long term plan options. They identified these key ways to make their experiences as carers easier:

1. Advice covering respite, counselling, mental health, capacity training and financial benefits.
2. Access to the information for the cared for, with full GP records. 
3. Being able to find everything that they are entitled to, in just one place.
4. More help with elderly planning for the future including physical support, medical equipment, access to support and monitoring and mobility aids for each health event – falls, injuries, accidents etc.

More than ever we feel it’s important for carers to have access to the information and services they need. Since the pandemic struck, there are not only an increased number of carers, but current carers are having to work harder due to services being limited during this time. In a recent survey by Carers UK, of 6000 people 78% reported that the needs of the person they care for have increased during the pandemic. We see the importance of carers being supported just as much as the people they care for. 

For cares looking to know more about their rights, we recommend downloading the free ‘Looking after someone’ guide by Carers UK for an outline of your rights as a carer.

Once you’ve identified your rights and your needs, we can help direct you to the best services for you. At Tutella we work with corporate clients, providing financial, medical, and legal support to their employees who have caring responsibilities. We listen to each employees individual needs and draw up bespoke care plans with practical short term and long term care suggestions. If your company has signed up with us already just register with us, or give us a call on 0203 474 0887.

If you think you’d benefit from our service as a carer, ask your employer to get in touch. You can find out more information on our Services page.