This years theme is Your rights: today, tomorrow and in the future

Each year Carers UK promotes Carers Rights Day where they’re joined by hundreds of organisations and thousands of individuals raising awareness of caring, helping to identify carers and signposting them to information, advice and support.

Whether someone has recently become a carer, realised they have been caring for a while without support or has been caring for someone for many years, it’s important they understand their rights and are able to access the support that is available to them whenever they need it.

Carers Rights Day empowers carers with information and support. It helps them to feel confident asking for what they need and challenge things when their rights are not being met, whether that be that in the workplace or education, in accessing health or social care, when interacting with other professionals or at home.

Your rights: today, tomorrow and in the future

If you are an unpaid carer, you’re entitled to certain rights which may help you access services, look after your health and wellbeing or could provide vital information and support in looking after your partner, family member or friend.

Carers UK constantly campaigns for better rights for the UK’s unpaid carers, including securing landmark new rights for those juggling work with their caring responsibilities. And they’ll carry on working to see new or improved rights established, to help make life better for carers.

Do you know your rights?

Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, which took effect in 2018, explains about your rights as a carer.

The Act provides new rights to carers in a number of areas. These include:

• a duty for local authorities to provide support to carers, based on the carer’s identified needs which meet the local eligibility criteria

• a right to an adult carer support plan and young carer statement to identify your needs and personal outcomes. (This is available to carers of all ages, no matter how many hours of care they provide and whether or not the person they care for provides care)

• a requirement for local authorities to have an information and advice service for carers which provides information and advice on, amongst other things, emergency and future care planning, advocacy, income maximisation and carers’ rights

• a duty on the NHS to inform and involve you if the person you care for is discharged from hospital

For further information on the rights of a carer and to view Carers Scotland 'Looking after someone' guide 2023/24, please click HERE.

Carers UK also have a useful website with further information on your rights as a carer.

Shared Care Scotland also have a useful guide about your rights as a carer. This can be viewed HERE.

Being a carer

Caring can be hard work – physically, emotionally, mentally and financially. It’s important to find out about the different ways you can get help and support with caring.

As a carer the main benefit that you may be entitled to is Carers Allowance. The person you care for may be entitled to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance. The PIP or DLA are sometimes known as gateway benefits as they open other avenues of support to you.

Check out the website below that gives you more information on different allowances and benefits that you could apply for.

Benefits | Finances | Pensions - Carers UK

Applying for some of these benefits may seem daunting so if you require support with this, Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau can assist carers and those being cared for. You can also check out the following page: Funding & Benefits | Voluntary Action Shetland - Virtual Carers Centre (shetlandcarers.org) for more details on what CAB can do to help and other benefits.