Your rights: today, tomorrow and in the future
Carers Rights Day 2023 – Know your rights!
It is important that, as an unpaid carer, you feel confident asking for what you need and to challenge when your rights are not being met, whether that be at work, home or when accessing health and social care services.
Today is Carers Rights Day and a great opportunity to raise awareness of caring, identify carers and signpost you to information, advice and support. Whether you are new to caring or have been an unpaid carer for many years, it is important you know your rights! With thanks to Carers UK for compiling this handy list, this blog summarises your main rights as an unpaid carer including some which will become law next year.
If you are a Leeds based carer, as well as reading this blog, I would encourage you take one action today – contact Carers Leeds on 0113 380 4300 or advice@carersleeds.org.uk We can help you better understand your rights and entitlements. Registering with us can ensure you get the right information, advice and support for your caring role and beyond.
Your rights
- If you are juggling work and care you have the right to request flexible working. Carers UK has a range of information on your rights at work and how to make the request of your employer.
- You can ask your GP practice to identify you as a carer on your patient record and might be called forward for priority vaccines or other public health campaigns.
- To help look after your own health and wellbeing you can exercise your right to request a free flu jab. Speak to your GP or local pharmacist. Carers are also a priority group for accessing Covid booster jabs this winter.
- If you look after an older or disabled person, the Equality Act 2010 protects you against direct discrimination or harassment because of your caring responsibilities. This can be useful if you feel you have been treated unfairly because of your caring role. Read more here
- If you’re over 18 and provide regular unpaid care for someone, you’re entitled to a carer’s assessment which is an opportunity to get extra help and support. It doesn’t matter how much or what sort of care you provide. Contact Leeds Adult Social Care or Carers Leeds.
- If the person you care for is being discharged from hospital, the hospital must identify and consult with you, where possible. Carers Leeds have a hospital support team who work in Leeds hospitals. Carers UK has produced a factsheet explaining carers rights and what to expect around hospital discharge.
Rights expected to become law in 2024
- The Carer’s Leave Act will give employees juggling work with unpaid care a legal right to request up to five days unpaid leave every twelve months, to help manage some of the day-to-day challenges of being a working carer.
- Under the new Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act all employees will be able to ask their employer for changes to their working hours, times of work, or place of work, from day one.
