Informal carers are important: they provide most of the support received by disabled and older people today. Britain has 5.7 million informal carers, who are providing unpaid care for one in 10 of the population. One in five of these carers provide support for 50 hours a week or more (Census, 2001). This chapter will look at the contribution that direct payments can make in the crucial role played by carers in supporting people in the community. It will look at legislation and policy, the process of carers’ assessments, young carers, the role of carers’ centres and support services, and some of the barriers to and the benefits of direct payments, and provide conclusions and recommendations.

Background

The introduction of the 1995 Carers (Recognition and Services) Act gave carers the right to an assessment of their needs for the first time, although this placed no responsibility on local authorities to provide services to meet carers’ needs. The introduction of the 2000 Carers and Disabled Children Act increased carers’ rights to an assessment, even in circumstances where the person cared for refused an assessment, provided they would be eligible for community care services. This Act gives local authorities the power to offer carers’ services (or direct payments) to support their caring role, or to help them maintain their own health and well-being. (Leece, 2002). Since April 2001 direct payments have been available to carers for carers’ services, parents of disabled children, and young carers aged 16 and 17 years. The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act, taking effect from 2005, amends these two previous Acts and has three main aims: to ensure that carers are informed of their rights to an assessment, to give local authorities new powers to enlist the help of housing, health and education authorities in providing support to carers, and to ensure that work, lifelong learning and leisure are considered when a carer is assessed.

In 1999 the government launched a National Strategy for Carers, which for the first time established a framework national policy to start responding to carers’ issues. This Strategy gave recognition to carers as individuals in their own right and aimed to address this by “empowering carers to make more choices for themselves and to have more control over their lives” (DH, 1999, p 32).