Who Is a Carer?
A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.
Caring for someone can take up to a few hours each week, or a carer may be caring for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Being a carer often means a person is providing support out of love or friendship for the individual they are caring for.
Caring roles vary and anyone can become a carer at any time, so it is important to recognise when a typical relationship develops the added dimension of one person taking on a caring role for another.
Carers can be adults caring for other adults, parents caring for children who are ill or have a disability, or young carers caring for a parent, sibling, relative or friend.
Adult Carer
An adult carer is an adult who provides or intends to provide care for another adult.
Young Carer
A young carer is a person under 18, who provides or intends to provide care for another person.
Parent Carer
A parent carer is a person aged 18 or over, who provides or intends to provide care for a disabled child for whom the person has parental responsibility.