Real change not short change: guiding carers to their rights

This comprehensive Guide provides information on the law relating to a range of issues affecting unpaid carers including assessments, paying for care and flexible working.  It also forms part of a continued campaign to promote carers rights and achieve real change and equality for carers.

There are more than 660,000 unpaid carers in Scotland looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member – 1 in 8 of Scotland's adult population.   More than 100,000 care for 50 hours or more each week.  Every year, 178,000 people become carers.

Carers save the Scottish economy more than £5 billion each year yet, as a direct consequence of caring, they experience ill health, poverty and discrimination. 

Caring can affect every area of carers' lives – health, income, employment and relationships:

• Carers are a third more likely to be in poor health.  Nearly three quarters of carers report that their health problems affect their ability to care.  More than half report suffering from backache or depression and ninety percent suffer from stress and worry.
• Carers often face significant poverty with a third in debt and a further third cutting back on food or heating .  
• A quarter of a million carers currently combine work with care but one in five of all carers have had to give up work to care.  One in three would return to work if the right alternative care services were available.
• Almost two-thirds of carers (63%) say their relationships had suffered as a direct result of their caring responsibilities.

Patrick Begley, Director of Carers Scotland says "Carers need the right information at the right time to help them access services to support them in caring.  However, finding out about what is available is not always the same as actually receiving a service.  Despite their invaluable contribution to Scottish health and social care system, carers frequently find it difficult to obtain the resources they require to support them in their unique role.  Only 1 in 1,000 carers have actually received a Carer's Assessment and, a recent survey  found that an alarming three-quarters of carers had not had a regular break from their caring activities in the past 12 months - including 38% who had not enjoyed a single day off." 

The launch of "Carers and their Rights: a guide to law relating to carers" will take place during Carers Week, a national awareness-raising week and an annual celebration of the contribution that the UK's 6 million unpaid carers make to their families, friends and communities.   This year's Carers Week takes place between 11 and 18 June.

Launch Details

• Date: 14 June 2007
• Time: 1pm – 2pm (photocall at 1.15pm)
• Venue:  Committee Room 6, Scottish Parliament

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For further information, please contact:
Fiona Collie, Carers Scotland on T. 0141 221 9141 or Fiona.Collie@carerscotland.org
Patrick J Begley, Carers Scotland on T. 0141 221 9141 or Pat.Begley@carerscotland.org
Margaret Smith, Carers Scotland ACE Initiative on T. 0141 221 9141 or Margaret.Smith@carerscotland.org

Notes to Editors

1. Carers can obtain a free copy of the Guide by writing to Carers Scotland at 91 Mitchell Street, Glasgow, G1 3LN, emailing info@carerscotland.org or calling 0141 221 9141.

2. Carers Scotland is the only carer-led organisation working for all of Scotland's 660,000 carers.  Carers Scotland campaigns on behalf of carers to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the unique role and contribution of carers to society.  Carers Scotland continues to make a difference to carers' lives by: campaigning for changes that make a real difference for carers; providing information and advice to carers about their rights and how to get support; mobilising carers and support to influence decision makers; transforming the understanding of caring so that carers are valued and not discriminated against.  For more information, visit
www.carerscotland.org. 

3. Carers Scotland is part of Carers UK.  For more information on Carers UK visit,
www.carersuk.org

3. "Carers and their Rights: a guide to the law relating to carers" has been published as part of Carers Scotland's Action for Carers and Employment Initiative and is supported through funding from European Social Fund under its Equal Community Initiative Programme.   Action for Carers in Employment (ACE) is an initiative led by Carers Scotland in partnership with Association of Directors of Social Work and the Equal Opportunities Commission, and funded by the European Social Fund. The initiative brings together statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies to raise awareness of the barriers facing carers who wish to work, and promotes ways of supporting them.  Visit www.carerscotland.org/policyandpractice/workingforcarersandemployment

4. Carers Week is jointly organised by seven UK-wide charities including Carers UK and Carers Scotland.  Thousands of events are taking place throughout Carers Week. For details about these and for more general information about Carers Week, please visit www.carersweek.org