Support for unpaid carers

In the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 'caring' is understood as providing what is necessary to the cared-for person to support their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

It doesn’t need to be a certain kind of care, or take a certain amount of time, for a person to qualify as a carer. A carer doesn’t need to live with the person they care for.

There are many examples of what carers do and these include:

• helping someone to wash, dress or take medication
• practical support with shopping, attending appointments or going to social events
• emotional support such as encouragement or reassurance

Young carer

You are a young carer if you are a carer (as above) and:

• under the age of 18 or
• 18 or over, but still attending school

Adult carer

You are an adult carer if you meet the criteria for a carer above and are aged 18 or over, and not attending school.

Kinship carer

A kinship carer (usually a relative or close friend looking after a child in place of their parents) can be a carer under the act, even where they have a kinship carer agreement with the local authority.

This is only for kinship carers who meet the other requirements of the meaning of carer above, so not where the care is simply because of the child's age.

For more information about carer definitions view the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016.

The following are examples of the support you may receive:

• information and advice
• breaks from caring by providing support for the person you care for
• a personal budget to purchase support or services
• future care planning
• emotional and practical support to help you carry on caring
• a Carer’s Emergency Plan to set out what people would need to know to best support the person you care for, for a short-term, unplanned period
• a Carer’s Emergency Card which would let others know that you regularly provide care for someone if you were involved in an emergency
• Occupational Therapy services such as disability advice, special equipment and household adaptations 
• Welfare benefits advice 
• you can ask for an Adult Carer Support Plan or a Young Carer Statement, as outlined in the Scottish Government’s Carers’ Charter

There is information, advice and a range of supports available to carers in Angus – the form it takes for you will depend on your individual circumstances.

All local authorities have Local Eligibility Criteria which are used alongside the Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement to define the impact the caring role has and identify what is important to an individual carer.

If you would like to find out more about support for carers, contact a care manager or case holder if you or the person you care for has one. 

If you don’t have a care manager or case holder you can:

• call Angus Carers Centre on 01241 439157 or email enquiries@anguscarers.org.uk
• email firstcontact@angus.gov.uk.

Getting a break from caring can have long term benefits for both carers and the people they care for. 

A short break (sometimes called respite) is a form of support which enables you to have time away from your caring routines and responsibilities. It may be a one-off or regular occurrence.

We know having a short break can promote your health and well-being and sustain you in your caring role.

Having a break can also help the person you support and other family members affected by the caring situation.  Short breaks can help to bring more of a balance to your life, alongside your caring role.

There is a wide variety of short breaks across Scotland.

The type of short break that is right for you will depend on your individual needs and circumstances. Examples include:

• Holiday or leisure breaks (with or without the person you care for)
• Sports or activity breaks (with or without the person you care for)
• Breaks at a day centre for the person you care for
• from a care at home service for the person you care for
• Short breaks in a care home
• Specialist play schemes or after school clubs for the child that you care for
• Befriending
• Funding to do something that is important to you that helps you have a break e.g. relaxation therapies or an evening class

For more ideas and examples of short breaks visit the Shared Care Scotland website or the Angus Carers website. 

You can speak to your worker if you or the person you care for has one. 

If not you can get in touch via First Contact on 01307 475242, email firstcontact@angus.gov.uk.  

How do I know if I am eligible?

All local authorities have eligibility criteria and thresholds to access different supports. You will need to complete an adult carer support plan or young carer statement to help you plan what matters to you and find out what support is available to you.

To find out more about eligibility criteria and other frequently asked questions visit the Angus Carers website.

Our Short Break Services Statement Supporting Document gives more information on how we support carers through short breaks.

Do you look after somebody who couldn’t manage without you?  What would happen in an emergency if you couldn’t do your caring role? 

Making a plan is an opportunity to have vital conversations with family, friends and neighbours about the role they could play in an emergency.   

It can give you and the person you care for peace of mind, knowing they will be looked after as you and they would wish, until you are able to resume your role.

Completing a Carers Emergency Plan may stop an emergency becoming a crisis. It helps you to identify emergency contacts who you can trust to provide support at short notice and who can step into your caring role until alternate support can be arranged.

If you would like to speak to somebody about making an emergency plan, contact a care manager or case holder if you or the person you care for has one. If you don’t, call Angus Carers Centre on 01241 439157 or email enquiries@anguscarers.org.uk.