A carer is anyone who has a commitment to providing unpaid care to a family member or friend who could not cope without their support – or intends to provide this support. This may include taking care of a sibling when a parent is unable to do so due to their health needs.
A caring responsibility may be:
- short term – e.g. to support recovery following an accident
- or long term – e.g. to help someone with a long-term illness, disability, mental health condition, or addiction.
If you're aged 25 or under, you may be referred to as a ‘young adult carer’.