To celebrate
Carers Rights Day this month’s bulletin is all about carers rights. Most of us will care for someone at some
point in our lives. It is easy to feel
unprepared and not know what direction to turn for support. Carers Rights Day aims to help people
understand their rights, get the information and advice they need at the right
points in time and to help carers feel more connected.
Carers UK’s
guide to carers’ rights and benefits, “Looking
after someone” is published every year for Carers Rights Day. It provides a comprehensive guide on what
support carers are entitled to. You can
download a copy of the guide at “Looking After Someone” or order a free copy from Carers UK by
calling 0800 808 7777 or emailing advice@careruk.org
Across the city
partner organisations alongside the council will be promoting the day, the
Carers Trust Heart of England will be holding stalls at the UHCW and Central
Library.
Get to know your
rights around your health
Your own health
is important. The clocks have gone back
and the days are getting colder and longer.
It’s the time of year we all start to feel we need a bit of comfort and
nurturing. When you’re looking after
someone, it’s easy to forget about your own health.
Make sure your
doctor knows you are a carer! Many
people feel their GP doesn’t need to know about their caring role. It might not sound relevant but GPs should
know when you are taking on a caring role, it may help them understand your
situation a bit better and help you get the support you need.
If you are the
main carer for someone speak to your GP or pharmacist about having a flu jab,
you are likely to be entitled to a free flu jab alongside the person you care
for. For more information visit: Who Should have a the flu jab?
Get to know your
rights at work
Over three
million people in the UK combine work with caring responsibilities. It is
important that working carers know about their rights at work and seek support
where necessary. Many employers will have family friendly policies and carers
have rights to request flexible working to help them balance their work/home
life.
Carers have
rights around:
-
Flexible
working
-
Taking
time off for emergencies
-
Protection
from discrimination due to a caring role
-
Parental
leave
For more
information there is helpful information:
Carers UK – https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/work-and-career
Carers Trust - https://carers.org/article/working-and-learning
Get to know your
rights around finances
Caring for
someone can take a financial toll on the whole family. It may mean reducing hours of work or may
mean giving up work entirely. Many
carers report to feel that the financial impact of caring for someone is one of
the most stressful areas and can fill them with feelings of uncertainty and
worry.
You may have
heard in the news that there are changes to the way in which benefits are being
administered with the introduction of Universal Credit. Carers UK have released some handy
information about how these changes might impact upon carers, for more
information visit: Universal Credit.
Navigating a
complex benefit system is difficult for anyone, but when time is so precious
it’s important to have some good support in place to point you in the right
direction.
There are some
helpful tools online to help as a starting point:
Turn2us – Online Benefit Checker
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