Carers: Know Your Rights!

Carers’ Rights Day 2020 had a theme of ‘Know Your Rights’.

The key rights you have as an Adult Carer or Young Carer are shown above, but here are a few extra details and ideas of who you can contact to get support on your rights.

• The Equalities Act 2010 means you are protected against discrimination in the workplace for looking after someone who is old or has a disability. For more info, the Carers Wales website and ACAS are worth checking out.

• Since 2016 in Wales, you have the same rights as people who are cared for.

• The Local Authority commission Credu to provide information and support to Carers in Powys. Please do get in touch – you will get a warm welcome: carers@credu.cymru/ 01597 823800/ Credu Carers on Facebook.

• Your right to an assessment is not affected by how much money you have, but you may be asked to contribute to the cost of your support. You can find some great info on this through Carers UK.

• For all Adult Carers and Young Carers, you should be involved in all decisions about your support. You can choose to have a friend or family member by your side to help you.

• Credu can help you look into benefits and link you with benefits advisors or Citizens’ Advice, or you can go directly to them.

• Conditions for Carers Allowance:

  • You look after someone who gets a qualifying disability benefit

  • You look after that person for at least 35 hours a week

  • You are aged 16 or over and not in full-time education

  • You don’t earn over £128 a week (after deductions)

• The rights for children and young people are from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Young Carers, please do get in touch with Credu if you need any support with your rights!

Other useful sources of information and support:

• Dewis Advocacy Service – Website / 01597 821333

• Carers Wales – Website / 0808 808 7777 Mon – Fri, 9am – 6pm / advice@carersuk.org

• Age Cymru Powys – Website / 01597 825908 / enquiries@acpowys.org.uk

• Citizens Advice Powys – Website / 0345 601 8421

• Council Social Services – 0345 602 7050

• If you’re experiencing challenges to your rights, this resource has been used and recommended by Carers in Powys.

• This website is extremely interesting for a deeper study of Carers’ Rights in Wales.