Welcome to the new edition of the Unpaid Carers' Newsletter
An unpaid carer provides care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older, without being paid for their role.
A carer isn’t someone who volunteers or is employed to provide support. An unpaid carer could be in receipt of Carers Allowance or working whilst caring.
Caring for someone you love will not always be easy, but you can be helped by the right support.
Here you can find the latest news and useful information to help you to continue to support the people you care for.
Thursday 21 November marks Carers Rights Day, and this year’s theme is recognising your rights.
The aim of this year’s theme is to raise awareness and help carers understand their legal rights including the support and benefits that they are entitled to.
Everyday 12,000 people become unpaid carers for a partner, family member, or a friend, many of whom don’t see themselves as carers and are often unaware of their legal rights.
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This Carers Rights Day, advice and information stalls will be at Rotherham Hospital for the chance to meet professionals and talk with other carers.
It is important to understand your rights as a carer so that you can be confident in what you are asking for and ensure your needs are being met, whether that is in the workplace, education, accessing health or social care, and more.
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Date: Thursday 21 November 2024
Time: 9:30am to 4pm
Location: Rotherham Hospital, Moorgate Rd, S60 2UD
The right to unpaid carer’s leave
Earlier this year in 2024, the Carer’s Leave Act became law. This gave employees juggling work with unpaid care, the legal right to up to five days unpaid leave per year.
The right to request flexible working
The introduction of the new Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act means that anyone, including unpaid carers, can ask their employer for changes to their working hours, times of work, or place of work, from day one.
They will also be able to change their flexible working arrangement more than once a year.
The right to ask your GP practice to identify you as a carer
If you provide unpaid care, you can ask your GP practice to identify you as a carer on your patient record.
The benefit of this is that you may then fall into a priority group for vaccines or other public health campaigns.
The right to request a flu jab
If you are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be put at risk if you became ill, or if you are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, you should be offered a free flu jab.
Speak to your GP or local pharmacist.
Protection against discrimination or harassment
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.
Understanding your rights can be useful if you feel you have been treated unfairly because of your caring role.
Requesting a carer’s assessment
Getting support and assistance can help you in your role as a carer.
If you are over the age of 18 and provide regular unpaid care for someone, you’re entitled to a carer’s assessment. This is regardless of the type and amount of support you offer, and the impact caring has on you, so your assessment will be specific to your individual needs.
Discharged from hospital
If the person you care for is being discharged from hospital, the hospital must identify and consult with you where possible.
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What is a Care Partner lanyard or badge?
A Care Partner lanyard or badge helps you to be identified as a carer when you wear it within the hospital.
Who gets a Care Partner lanyard or badge?
While a person can have multiple carers, a Care Partner lanyard or badge is offered to a patient’s main carer whether they are a child or adult, if the patient cannot manage on their own without support.
The carer must keep the lanyard or badge and will be asked to bring it with them if the person they care for attends Trust.
Why do staff give main carers a Care Partner lanyard or badge?
- Easy identification to update them on the patient’s care
- Easy identification for gaining access to wards or departments at anytime
- Easy identification to let them know about parking discounts
- Easy identification to ask about their needs as a carer, let them know their rights, and direct them to support available such as community groups, a Carers Assessment from the Council or joining the Emergency Care Scheme.
- Easy identification to offer them a drink
Click here for more information, alternatively you can visit the website.
The Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, said: “If you’re an unpaid carer, you will soon be able to earn £45 more a week without losing your entitlement to Carer’s Allowance.
“The move has been announced by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, in today’s Autumn Budget. From Monday 7 April 2025, the earnings limit for carers will rise from £151 to £196 – but earn a penny over this and you’ll still see the entire benefit clawed back.”
While the increase is a welcome change, it does not change one of the major causes of benefit overpayments for carers. If you earn one penny over £196 you will lose your full entitlement to the Carers Allowance, not just the extra money earnt.
If you are caring for someone who is living with dementia, you can attend a local group in Rotherham, Dementia Voice, with them.
At Dementia Voice, you can share your experience, insights, and opinions to help make a positive difference to how communities view those living with dementia. Plus, it is a great place to increase your confidence, develop skills, get involved in engaging work, and meet others living with dementia.
The group meets on the second Friday of every month from 11am to 1pm.
Dates:
- Friday 13 December 2024
- Friday 20 January 2025
- Friday 7 Feb 2025
- Friday 14 March 2025
- Friday 11 April 2025
- Friday 9 May 2025
- Friday 13 June 2025
Location:
St James Church and Community Centre
Cambridge Street
East Dene
Rotherham S65 2SX
For further information, please get in touch by:
Email: rotherham@alzheimers.org.uk
Telephone: 01709 580543
Find out more here.
Rotherham Gismo is an online directory of not-for-profit groups providing help and support to people living and working in the Rotherham area.
The site features around 600 groups offering a wide range of support services. Each group has its own page to explain their aims and highlight the various services and activities they provide.
To help you navigate the website, there is a Self Help User Guide.
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Heart of Knitting
One of the groups you can find on Gismo, is Heart of Knitting, a winner of Voluntary Action Rotherham’s Community Achievement Award 2023.
The group began with three people knitting together in their living room, establishing themselves as a community group in February 2017.
The knitting group started on Monday afternoons, soon expanded to a second group in the evening and developed a teaching course on Monday mornings in 2021.
They now have nine groups meeting in Brinsworth, Dinnington, Handsworth, Swallownest and Wickersley.
Over 60 knitters knit for Jessop Hospital in Sheffield, Families First and Shiloh who offer support to the homeless in Rotherham, knitting a total of 35,579 newborn baby hats and cardigans, and 2,749 blankets for the homeless.
To find further information and other community groups near you, click here.
Beacon will be delivering a workshop for carers of those in recovery from addictions.
Due to start in the new year, the workshops will run over a six-week period.
To register an interest in the course or if you require further information, please ring Beacon on 01709 285388.
Mental Health Matters provides out-of-hours mental health support for adults and offer a drop-in session with no need for a referral or appointment.
Click here to find out more, or visit the website.
Crossroads Care Rotherham have been supporting carers and people with care needs for over 30 years, providing flexible, tailored services to people of all ages, with a range of disabilities and health conditions.
The wrap-around services they provide, support both carer and loved one, with domiciliary care and respite available within the home and to help access the local community.
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Services include:
Carers groups across the borough, access to counselling, befriending, information navigation, Carers Trust grants (for household goods, IT equipment etc) and complimentary carers therapies.
A partnership is in place with Citizens Advice (an independent organisation specialising in confidential information and advice - legal, debt, consumer, and housing queries). One-to-one appointments can be booked to discuss benefit advice specifically for carers, with form filling provided in a safe and private environment.
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Carers Groups:
Central (Town Centre)
This will take place on the first, second, and third Friday of every month at 2pm to 4pm.
Address:
Unit H, The Point
Bradmarsh
Business Centre
Rotherham, S60 1BP
Dinnington
This will take place on the third Thursday of every month at 1:30pm to 3:30pm.
Address:
Davies Court Avenue
Dinnington
S25 2AB
Kimberworth Park
This will take place on the third Friday of every month at 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Address:
The Chislett Centre
Kimberworth Park Road
S61 3JT
Kiveton Park
This will take place on the first Tuesday of every month from 2pm to 4pm.
Address:
Old Colliery Office
Colliery Road
Kiveton Park,
S26 6LR
Maltby
This will take place on the last Thursday of every month at 2pm to 4pm.
Address:
Full Life Church
High Street
Maltby
S66 8LF
For additional information, please contact Crossroads Care:
Email:info@crossroadsrotherham.co.uk
Telephone: 01709 360272
Click here to visit Crossroads Care Rotherham’s website.
You can visit Crossroads Care Charity Shop and café in Rotherham or check out their online shop on Facebook, Vinted, and E-Bay.
Shop Address:
29 Bridgegate
Rotherham
S60 1PL
Do you know anyone else who is an unpaid carer that you can share this newsletter with?
If so, forward this email on and ask them to subscribe.
For further information about carers, please click here.
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