Carer support groups and organisations

Are you an unpaid carer?

An unpaid carer in is someone who provides regular support to a family member, partner, friend, or neighbour who could not manage without help because of illness, disability, mental health needs, frailty, addiction, or age-related conditions. They are called “unpaid” because they are not employed or paid to provide this care, although they may receive benefits or other support.

An unpaid carer might help with:

Personal care such as washing, dressing, or eating

Practical support such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, or managing money

Emotional support and helping someone feel safe and connected

Managing appointments, medication, or transport

Advocating for the person they care for and helping them access services

What are your rights as an unpaid carer in Wales?

In Wales, unpaid carers have important rights under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, these apply to adult carers, young carers and parent carers.

• The right to information, advice and assistance – your local authority must help you understand what support is available and how to access it
• The right to a carer’s needs assessment – if you appear to have needs for support, your local authority must offer you an assessment, regardless of your income or how much care you provide.
• The right to have your wellbeing promoted – services should consider your physical, emotional, social, and personal wellbeing, not just the needs of the person you care for.
• The right to be involved in decisions – you should be listened to and involved in conversations about your support and the outcomes that matter to you.
• The right to support if you are eligible – following assessment, the local authority must decide whether your needs meet the eligibility criteria and what support should be provided.
• The right to combine assessments if you want to – your assessment can be carried out separately or alongside the assessment of the person you care for.

Unpaid carers are fundamental to supporting people with care and support needs to live independently in their own home for as long as possible.

We want to support unpaid carers to maintain their caring role whilst still being able to do what matters most to them. We will talk to you about “What Matters” to you.

How to get help?

Carer Support Coordinator

 We will have a “What Matters” conversation with you to find out what is important to you and what outcomes you would like to achieve.

We can provide information, advice, and assistance about what is available

We can signpost you to local support groups and networks

We can provide information on how to request an assessment for you or the person you are providing care and support to.

Caitlin Matthews

07762 408368

Caitlin.matthews@merthyr.gov.uk

mt.ucp@merthyr.gov.uk 

Merthyr Tydfil Unpaid Carer Partnership

We collaborated with other organisations to develop the Merthyr Tydfil Unpaid Carer Partnership. The Partnership works together to deliver outcomes that carers told us matter to them.

The partnership consists of local authority, local health board, third sector and voluntary organisations and unpaid carers.

The partnership facilitates activities, opportunities, support, information, access to grants, training and signposting to unpaid carers. This might be collaboratively or with individual organisation.

Useful Information & Local Groups and Support.

https://www.carersuk.org/wales

https://www.gov.wales/charter-unpaid-carers-html

https://www.dewis.wales/

Carers Card National Carers Card | Apply for a carers card UK

MTCBC Carers Private Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/merthyrtydfilcarers/

Carers Trust Our work in Wales - Carers Trust

How to request an assessment?

Under the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) 2014 you have the right a carers assessment, you can also request an assessment for the person you are providing care and support to.  An assessment will be undertaken to understand whether there are eligible care and support needs which can be provided through Social Services.

You can request an assessment by contacting the Adult Duty Team:

Opening hours

8.30am – 5.00pm Monday – Thursday
8.30am – 4.30pm Friday