You are a carer if you provide or arrange care for someone else who cannot care for themselves. A carer is not paid for what they do, and is different from a paid professional like a care worker or home help.
As a carer you may support
- A family member, such as your child, parent, sibling or other relative
- Your partner
- A friend
- A neighbour
You may provide a range of support, including
- Giving emotional support
- Helping someone cope with a mental health problem
- Cooking and cleaning
- Personal care, like washing and going to the toilet
- Budgeting and looking after finances
- Giving medicine or providing medical care
- Interpreting for someone who is deaf or who does not have English as their first language
- Reading information and filling in forms for someone who has literacy or concentration difficulties.
Anyone can become a carer. It doesn’t matter how old you are, your gender or background. The care you provide could be short or long-term. You may or may not live with the person you are a carer for.