There are over 10.6 million unpaid carers across the UK — most don't think of themselves as "carers". But being recognised as one gives you real, enforceable legal rights. This guide explains exactly what they are.
An unpaid carer is anyone who provides unpaid care to a family member, friend or neighbour who could not manage without them due to illness, disability, a mental health condition or an addiction. The care may be physical (washing, dressing, cooking), emotional (company, reassurance, managing anxiety), or practical (managing medication, attending appointments, handling paperwork).
Nationwide, there are over 10.6 million unpaid carers — that's roughly one in six adults. The vast majority don't identify themselves as "carers". They see it as simply looking after their mum, or their partner, or their child. But the legal definition is broad: if you are regularly providing unpaid support to someone who would struggle without you, you are a carer in the eyes of the law.
This distinction matters enormously. Being recognised as a carer unlocks specific legal rights — including the right to assessments, leave from work, financial support and protection from discrimination. Many carers miss out on these rights entirely because they simply don't know they are entitled to them.
The scale of unpaid caring is significant. Carers save the UK economy an estimated £162 billion per year — more than the entire NHS budget. Yet many carers face financial hardship, deteriorating health, and social isolation as a direct result of their caring role. The rights set out in this guide exist precisely because Parliament recognised this reality.
Under the Care Act 2014, every unpaid carer in England has the right to a free Carer's Assessment from their local council. This is one of the most important and most underused rights in social care law.
This right applies to any unpaid carer — regardless of:
Critically, a Carer's Assessment is about your needs — not the needs of the person you care for. The assessor (a social worker or trained practitioner from the council) must consider:
The assessment must take a holistic view. It is not just a checklist — it should be a proper conversation about what caring is doing to your life.
Following a Carer's Assessment, the council may provide or fund a range of support, including:
Call or write to your local council's Adult Social Care team and ask specifically for a "Carer's Assessment under the Care Act 2014". You can find your council at gov.uk/find-local-council. The council cannot refuse to carry out an assessment if you appear to have needs as a carer.
If you are refused or if the process is delayed unreasonably, you can make a formal complaint to the council and ultimately to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
From 6 April 2024, all employees — including those who are new in their jobs — have a day-one right to request flexible working arrangements. Previously, employees had to wait 26 weeks before making a request. This change is particularly significant for carers who need flexible schedules to manage their caring responsibilities alongside work.
An employer can refuse a flexible working request, but only on one or more of these 8 statutory grounds:
The employer must give written reasons explaining which ground(s) apply. A blanket refusal without explanation is not lawful.
If your request is refused, you should first follow your employer's internal appeals process. If you remain unhappy and believe the refusal was not on one of the lawful grounds — or that the process was not properly followed — you may bring a claim to the Employment Tribunal. Time limits apply (3 months from the decision). ACAS Early Conciliation is required before bringing a claim: acas.org.uk.
The Carer's Leave Act 2023 came into force on 6 April 2024. It created a brand new right for employees who are also unpaid carers — separate from annual leave, sick leave or parental leave.
Employees have the right to take up to 5 days of unpaid leave per year to provide or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need. This is a day-one right — you do not need any qualifying period of employment.
A dependant means:
The leave applies where the dependant has a care need arising from:
The 5 days can be taken flexibly — as individual days, half days, or all 5 days at once. You must give your employer notice (twice the length of leave you want to take, or as much notice as is reasonably practicable). The employer cannot postpone the leave if doing so would cause serious disruption to the employee's caring responsibilities.
You cannot be dismissed or subjected to any detriment for requesting or taking Carer's Leave. This is an automatically unfair dismissal. Note: the leave is currently unpaid as a statutory minimum — though some employers choose to pay it voluntarily.
Carer's Allowance is the main financial benefit for unpaid carers. In 2025/26, it is worth £81.90 per week — paid directly to the carer.
You may claim Carer's Allowance if:
The person you care for must receive one of the following:
For full eligibility details, rates, and how to apply, see our dedicated guide: Carer's Allowance — Full Guide.
Under the Care Act 2014, if the person you care for is having a needs assessment or care plan drawn up by the local authority, you have the right to be involved in that process — provided the person consents to your involvement (or if they lack capacity and it is in their best interests for you to be involved).
Specifically, you can:
If the person you care for lacks capacity (for example, due to dementia), the council has a duty to act in their best interests — and in most cases this will mean involving you directly in decisions. The council must carry out a Best Interests assessment under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
If you have serious concerns about the quality of care or a significant change in the person's needs, you have the right to contact the local authority and ask for an urgent reassessment of their care needs.
The Equality Act 2010 protects unpaid carers in the workplace through a concept called associative discrimination. This means that even though you yourself are not disabled, if you are treated less favourably at work because of your association with a disabled person, that can constitute direct disability discrimination.
In practice, proving associative discrimination can be complex. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact ACAS (0300 123 1100) or an employment law solicitor. Legal aid may be available in some circumstances.
You don't have to navigate this alone. The following organisations provide free advice and support to unpaid carers across the UK:
Ekvarta can also help you understand your options — whether that's finding the right home care support to give you a break, or explaining how Direct Payments work. Contact us on WhatsApp or email [email protected].
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