A Guide for Adult Carers in Scotland

Many people look after someone else, but don’t see themselves as a carer; they just feel they are doing what anyone would do to support friends or family.

If you support your partner, relative or friend, who needs help because they are ill or have a disability, then you are a carer. It doesn’t matter whether you live with them, how often you help them or how long you spend providing the help.

There are different ways to be a carer. You might:

• live near a friend who has a disability and drop in every day to provide a meal and some company
• move in with a relative to help them after they have been in hospital
• provide 24-hour constant care for a close member of your family
• be a carer for your partner, even if they have paid carers too
• provide regular social support by phone
• have a disability yourself and care for someone who also provides care for you.

You may have chosen to be someone’s carer, or you may have found yourself in a situation where you felt you had no choice. This guide looks at your right to get support with your caring role and other things to be aware of as a carer.