Language matters part 1 

Language is important when talking about caring and carers. So, what do we mean when we talk about unpaid carers?

Who is an unpaid carer?

NHS England defines a carer as ‘anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support’. Often people do not see themselves as a carer. They see themselves as a partner looking after their partner, as a child caring for a parent, or a friend supporting their friend. People will often see caring as something they do for someone in their life that they care about, as a part of their relationship with that person as opposed to a separate responsibility.

Another reason people might not see themselves as a carer can be the type of support that they provide to the person they are caring for. This can range from personal care, doing a food shop, or providing company and emotional support. The time spent doing these activities can also vary greatly with some carers providing 24/7 care and others a few hours a week. Regardless of the time spent caring or the type of caring, this all falls under the definition of a carer.

Unpaid/informal/unwaged/family carer – what’s the difference?

If you see information around caring you might notice that the terms ‘unpaid’, ‘informal’, ‘unwaged’, or ‘family’ carer are all used. Different organisations will use different terms, and this can be confusing but essentially, they all mean the same thing. Someone who does not receive any financial payment for being a carer. This is different from someone who is employed by a care agency for example. 

The exception to this is receiving Carer’s Allowance. If you spend 35 hours or more caring for someone then you may be entitled to the Government benefit of Carer’s Allowance. Even if you do receive this payment, you are still classed as an unpaid/informal/unwaged/family carer as you are not being paid or employed as a carer but receiving extra support in your caring role.

LGBTQ+ carers

This is particularly important for carers from the LGBTQ+ community. The definition of a carer is not bound by blood, marriage status, sexuality, or gender identity. It is about one person caring for another. As explored in our previous blog post, the concept of chosen family is more common in the LGBTQ+ community and it is important to know that a carer's relationship to the person they care for does not affect identifying as an unpaid carer or access to carers support. This includes Carer’s Allowance as you do not need to be related to the person you care for to be eligible for it.

Are you an unpaid carer?

If you are unsure if you are an unpaid carer or you are an unpaid carer then Carers UK and Carers Trust are good places to get more information and support. They also signpost to local support.

Published on 27/03/2023 by Keisha Tomlinson