Make carers visible again

Help us to help you

If you are 60 or over and look after a spouse, family member or friend who has a disability or poor health, please help us to campaign for more financial, practical and emotional support for you and people like you.

You can help us by emailing your experiences of and thoughts about being an older carer to campaigns@ageuk.org.uk:

• Tell us how you help care for a relative or friend
• Please write up to 3 things that would help you look after and support your loved one and improve life for you
• This might include financial support, more people coming to help with specific tasks, or someone to take over so that you can rest or have some time for yourself
• Alternatively, if you are happy with the support you receive, please describe this support

We will present your comments to the Government Minister responsible for the care system. Your information will not be used for any other purpose.

You can find out more about the campaign by emailing campaigns@ageuk.org.uk or by telephoning 020 8765 7626.

How we want to support older carers

We want the government to:

• Introduce a Carer’s Allowance for pensioners.
• Simplify applying for Carer’s Allowance and related benefits.
• Give us a statutory entitlement to the support we need to have a good quality of life, to protect our health and to reduce our isolation.
• Honour funding already agreed and ensure it is really used to support us.

We want the NHS and health professionals to:

• Let us know that we can register as carers with our GP and have regular health checks.
• Consult us and respect our views.
• Find a way to identify ‘hidden’ carers and provide them with information and support.

We want local authorities to:

• Make us aware that we have an entitlement to have our needs assessed.
• Ensure that we have a choice of appropriate, flexible and good quality services to meet the needs of both the person we care for and ourselves.
• Help us to get together to support one another. 
• Consult us about services.

All photography by Sam Mellor.

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