AFF deals with questions and concerns from families who are either parent carers or are caring for an extended family member.
One of the issues that carers face is support from their employer. There are several options for support for both immediate family members and serving personnel.
CARER’S LEAVE
The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 has now received Royal Assent and the law governing this will be enacted in 2024.
Employers will then be required to consider how they will provide support to all unpaid carers in their employment. Under the new law there will be:
- The introduction of a new and flexible entitlement to one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are providing or arranging care for a relative or dependant, available from the first day of employment.
- An allowance for employees to take the leave flexibly for planned and foreseen caring commitments.
- An offer of the same employment protections associated with other forms of family-related leave, so this means carers will be protected from dismissal or any detriment because of having taken time off.
CARER PASSPORT SCHEME
A carer passport is a record which identifies a carer so they can be supported and recognised in an organisation or community. The carer passport will also provide links to support, services and benefits.
Carers UK is working with Carers Trust on an initiative that will help introduce carer passports into hospitals, and employment, community, education and mental health trust settings. More information can be found at carersuk.org
CARER’S ALLOWANCE
If you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits you may be eligible to claim Carer’s Allowance.
In Scotland you may also be eligible to claim Carer’s Allowance Supplement, which is an extra payment for people who get Carer’s Allowance on a particular date and is paid twice a year.
ARMY SPECIFIC SUPPORT
The Army Carers Advocate, Lt Col Brian (Edd) Gordon, and Col Tim Symonds identified a need for serving personnel and immediate family members who are carers to receive some peer-to-peer support in a safe space and the opportunity to share experiences and information. They have recently set up a closed army carers’ group, Army Carers, on Facebook.
Armed Forces CanDiD Network
The Armed Forces Chronic Conditions and Disability Network (CanDiD) was created to connect, empower, educate and support service personnel, family members and veterans diagnosed with a life-changing or life-limiting condition, impairment or disability and the network also offers support to carers.
The network can be contacted via Facebook or by email: AFNetworks-CANDID-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk