What does the term "All Age Carer" mean?
Anyone of any age can be a Carer – a Carer is someone who provides care and support to someone who couldn’t manage without their help. This could include a friend or family member.
At Sefton Council we have coproduced an All Age Carers Strategy 2025-2028 that outlines Sefton's commitment to supporting those (regardless of age) with the challenges of having a caring responsibility . It highlights our main priorities and includes a practical action plan on how to best support Sefton Carers of all ages.
Who could be a Carer?
Anyone of any age could be a Carer, here are some real life examples of who a Carer can be:
- A 15-year-old girl looking after a parent with a long-term health condition.
- A 35-year-old man looking after his teenage child who has autism.
- A 40-year-old man caring for his partner who has terminal cancer.
- An 80-year-old woman looking after her husband who has Alzheimer’s disease.
It can be difficult for Carers to separate their caring role from their relationship that they have with the person they care for, particularly when that person is a parent, child or partner. It is also common for Carers to not identify themselves as a Carer.
The Care Act 2014 defines a Carer as anyone who provides or intends to provide care for another person needing care. This definition is broad and includes anyone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend due to illness, disability, mental health issues, or addiction.
As there is no set definition of a Carer, the roles and responsibilities that Carers have vary a lot. Some Carers may help with everyday tasks such as getting dressed or eating, while others may offer emotional support to the person they care for.
If you are an unpaid Carer, you have certain rights, outlined in a number of Government Acts and policies. Under the Care Act 2014, you are entitled to a Carers Assessment, which is carried out by Sefton Council. This assessment looks at your responsibilities as a Carer and what support needs to be put in place to help you in your role.
The Carers Assessment is a statutory requirement, but sometimes Carers need additional support and guidance. In Sefton, there are a number of support services and community groups available for Carers to discuss their role and get personalised guidance.
What sort of different types of Carers are there?
Young Carers A young Carer is someone aged under 18 who provides care.
Young Carers 5-15 years old Webpages
Young Adult Carers A young adult Carer is between 18 and 25 years old and cares for other adults.
Young Adult Carers 15-25 years old Webpages
Sefton Council works closely with schools to actively identify young carers and provide support to protect their wellbeing. We commission the Carers Centre to do this for us
Support is provided by the Sefton Carers Centre and Children's Social Care services. For more support and information around being a young carer see our Children's Social Care webpages.
Adult Carers An adult Carer is an adult who provides care for other adults.
Parent Carers A parent Carer is someone who has parental responsibility for a child under the age of 18 with additional needs.
Parent Carers Support and Advice Webpages
Working Carers A working Carer is an adult who combines working with caring responsibilities.
Support is provided by the Sefton Carers Centre and Adult Social Care Services. For more support for and information around being an Adult Carer see our Adult Social Care Information for Carers webpages.
Your rights as a Carer
Carers provide invaluable support to family members, friends or loved ones. Although the work is unpaid, the Government has introduced legislation that gives carers specific rights to make sure they are supported in their role. Below is a brief look at the rights Carers have, with links to the relevant legislation for more information.
The right to a Carer’s assessment
Under the Care Act 2014, all Carers have the right to request a carer’s assessment. In Sefton, this assessment will be completed by Sefton Council. You do not need to be living with the person you care for to request an assessment.
A carer’s assessment looks at the needs of the carer, including what impact caring has on their daily life and what support might help them in their role. The assessment is completely free and available to anyone who provides unpaid care.
If the assessment finds that the carer has eligible needs, a support plan will be put in place. This plan will look at what support the carer needs in the role and may include:
- Respite care, allowing carers to take breaks from their role.
- Help with household tasks.
- Information and advice services.
- Emotional support or counselling.
The right to financial support
As a carer, you may be able to receive financial support. This is usually in the form of Carers Allowance but may include other means tested benefits such as Pension Credit. For more information, visit the Financial Information for Carers page.
Young Carers rights
The Children Act 1989 and Children and Families Act 2014 work together to protect young people. Young carers (under the age of 18) face specific challenges balancing their education, social life, and caring responsibilities. Under these Acts, young carers have a right to an assessment that looks at the impact caring has on their life and whether its appropriate for the young person to remain a carer.
Sefton Council works closely with schools to actively identify young carers and provide support to protect their wellbeing.
Parent Carers rights
Councils, including Sefton Council, must assess parent Carers of disabled children under 18 under the Children and Families Act 2014. This assessment is similar to the Carer’s Assessment but looks specifically at the challenges faced by parents caring for their own children. Many parents find it difficult to separate the role of a parent and of a carer – the assessment will help people to do this and put in place appropriate support for the parent and their child.
Support is provided by the Sefton Carers Centre and Sefton Children's Social care service. For more support for and information around being a young carer or parent carer see our Children's Social Care webpages.
Rights at work
If you are in work and look after someone who could not manage without your help, you have employment rights to support you. The Employment Rights Act 1996 gives carers the right to request flexible working arrangements. Carers who have been employed for 26 weeks can make a formal request to adjust their working hours, work remotely, or reduce their hours.
The Carers Leave Act 2023 gives all unpaid carers the right to (up to) a week of unpaid leave per year to help with their caring responsibilities. This can be taken flexibly and is available to all carers from day one of their employment.
Protection from discrimination
The Equality Act 2010 protects carers from discrimination in the workplace and in accessing services. Under the Act, carers are considered to be ‘associated’ with disabled or elderly individuals, which means they can’t be treated unfairly because of their caring responsibilities.
For example:
- A carer can’t be denied a promotion or employment opportunity because of their responsibilities.
- A pub can’t refuse entry because the person with the carer is disabled.
- A shop assistant verbally abusing a parent carer because of their child’s mental health condition may be discriminating against both people.
