Carers & Family Support
For emergencies, call 999. For urgent health advice, use NHS 111. For social care help, contact your local council adult social care or children’s services.
Carers assessments
A carer is someone who gives unpaid support to a family member, friend or neighbour because of illness, disability, mental health needs, addiction, frailty or age.
A carer’s assessment is free, and anyone over 18 can ask for one. It looks at how caring affects your life and what support may help. It is separate from the needs assessment for the person you care for, but you can ask for both to happen together.
Support may include:
- respite or breaks
- help with transport
- training, such as safe lifting
- support groups
- advice about benefits
- help with housework or practical tasks
- wellbeing support
Caring for someone
Caring may involve:
- personal care
- medication support
- appointments
- emotional support
- shopping and meals
- supervision and safety
- managing behaviour or distress
- communication support
- end-of-life care
Ask for a written care and support plan. NHS guidance says social services can assess needs and write the support needed into a care and support plan.
Young carers
A young carer is a child or young person who helps care for someone. This may affect school, sleep, friendships, mental health and future opportunities.
Young carers may need:
- school support
- young carer assessment
- respite or breaks
- emotional support
- safeguarding support
- help with transport, homework or attendance
- support from local young carers services
Schools, GPs, social care and children’s services should take young carers seriously.
Respite care
Respite care means taking a break from caring while the person you care for is looked after by someone else. NHS guidance says this can range from someone sitting with the person for a few hours to a short stay in a care home.
Ask your council about:
- short breaks
- replacement care
- sitting services
- day centres
- overnight respite
- emergency care plans
- direct payments
Support networks
Helpful support may include:
- GP
- local council social care
- NHS community services
- carers centre
- school nurse or SENCO
- social worker
- occupational therapist
- mental health services
- voluntary sector support
- condition-specific charities
NHS social care guidance includes support and benefits for carers, respite care, young carers and local council support.
Carer wellbeing
Carers often experience stress, exhaustion, isolation, financial pressure, poor sleep, anxiety, depression or physical health problems.
Ask for help if you are:
- overwhelmed
- not sleeping
- struggling financially
- missing work or school
- becoming unwell
- unable to safely continue caring
- worried about abuse, neglect or safeguarding
Legal rights
Key rights and laws include:
- Care Act 2014: adult carers can request a carer’s assessment.
- Children and Families Act 2014: support for young carers and parent carers.
- NHS Constitution: dignity, respect, involvement, confidentiality and complaints.
- Equality Act 2010: reasonable adjustments for disabled people.
- Mental Capacity Act 2005: decision-making support and best interests decisions.
- Safeguarding law: protection from abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Accessible support
Ask services for:
- Easy Read
- large print, Braille or audio
- BSL interpreter
- language interpreter
- text or email instead of phone
- longer appointments
- carer involvement
- advocacy
- home visits where appropriate
- reasonable adjustments
Evidence and accountability
Keep:
- care diary
- appointment letters
- care plans
- medication lists
- school attendance records
- impact on work or education
- hospital discharge summaries
- social care assessments
- emails, calls and names of professionals
Ask for:
- carer’s assessment outcome
- care and support plan
- emergency plan
- respite plan
- direct payment decision
- review date
- written reasons for refusals
If support is delayed or unsafe, contact the council complaints team, NHS service manager, hospital PALS, NHS complaints team, safeguarding team, or the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Official links
- NHS carer’s assessments: https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/support-and-benefits-for-carers/carer-assessments/
- NHS carers support: https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/support-and-benefits-for-carers/
- NHS respite care: https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/support-and-benefits-for-carers/carer-breaks-and-respite-care/
- NHS care and support plans: https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/help-from-social-services-and-charities/care-and-support-plans/
- GOV.UK needs assessment: https://www.gov.uk/apply-needs-assessment-social-services
- Care Act guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance
- NHS complaints: https://www.nhs.uk/contact-us/how-to-complain-to-the-nhs/
Best rule: ask for a carer’s assessment early, keep evidence, request respite before crisis point, protect young carers, and escalate if caring becomes unsafe.