Carers Rights Day 2025: Know Your Rights, Use Your Rights

Every day, thousands of people across our communities step into a caring role — often without realising it, or without fully knowing the support and rights available to them.

This year, on Carers Rights Day, the theme is “Know your rights, use your rights”. 

It’s a message of empowerment:

• to recognise that caring brings both rewards and challenges;
• to uncover the rights, protections and practical help available to unpaid and paid carers alike;
• and to make sure caring doesn’t mean going without, or struggling alone.

What Does Being a Carer Mean?

A carer is someone who provides support — often unpaid — for a partner, friend, family member or neighbour who couldn’t manage without help due to illness, disability, a mental health need or older age. 

Whether you’ve just started caring, you’ve been doing it for years, you care full-time, part-time or alongside work, your role is vital.

Your Rights & Entitlements
Here are some of the key rights carers should know about:

• The right to request a carer’s assessment, to explore your needs as someone providing care and to help shape support. 
• The right to unpaid carer’s leave (in certain employment contexts) and to ask for flexible working arrangements. 
• The right to be identified as a carer (for example by your GP), which can unlock extra support and protections. 
• The right to be consulted when the person you care for is discharged from hospital, and to have your view taken into account. 
• The right to be treated fairly under equality and employment law — caring responsibilities should not mean discrimination. 

Knowing these rights isn’t just about rules and paperwork — it’s about recognising that you matter too. That you should be supported. That balancing caring with life, work or education shouldn’t mean giving up your own wellbeing or opportunities.

Why It Matters

Unpaid carers are the invisible backbone of our health and social‐care systems — providing daily, essential support that keeps so many people safe, healthy and connected. 

At the same time, caring can take a heavy toll. Financial pressure, time demands, burnout, isolation — these are very real risks.

Carers Rights Day shines a spotlight on the support, rights and change needed so that caring is a sustainable, recognised, supported part of life — not something people must manage alone.

What You Can Do

If you are a carer (or suspect you might be): Check your rights, ask for what you’re entitled to, and take a moment to recognise your own support needs.

If you’re an employer, friend, relative or service provider: make sure the carers you know are being seen, heard and supported.

Spread the word: share the theme “Know your rights, use your rights” — in your workplace, among your networks, in your community.

Use the resources from Carers UK, and ask your local authority or carers service for help, information and networks.

If you’re caring and juggling many demands — make space for yourself. Your wellbeing matters.

Thank you
To every carer, every day: thank you. You give so much — often quietly — so that others can live better, safer and more connected lives. On this Carers Rights Day, we recognise your role, salute your contribution and stand with you in ensuring that your rights count.

Together, let’s make sure that caring is backed by knowledge, protection and support — because you matter.

 For full information from Carers UK, click here