Carers
Who is a Carer?
If you are looking after someone who is disabled, ill or an older person, then you are a carer. A carer is someone of any age who provides care to someone who:
- has a physical disability
- has a sensory impairment
- has a learning disabilties
- has mental health support needs
- has problems with drug or alcohol misuse
- has a long-term or chronic illness
- is an older person who is physically or mentally frail
- has any combination of the above.
‘Care’ is defined in a wide-ranging way and includes emotional and administrative support as well as physical care and domestic tasks. The person who you care for must live within the London Borough of Barnet. You are not considered to be carer if you are a:
- worker from statutory, voluntary or private service providers who is paid to provide personal assistance or support
- volunteer from statutory, voluntary or private service providers who provides personal assistance or support.
Support for Carers
If you provide or intend to provide ‘regular and substantial’ care, you have a right to receive an assessment of needs in your own right. This carers assessment may lead to social care services being provided, to help you in your caring role.
‘Regular’ is likely to mean most days per week, most weeks, and ‘substantial’ is likely to mean an average of twenty or more hours per week spent providing care or supervision.
Carers FAQs
See our Carers FAQs section for quick answers to the questions carers have asked.
Carers' Strategy Partnership Board
The multi-agency Carers' Strategy Partnership Board has been established to improve services for carers. Carers and the voluntary sector are members of the partnership board together with health and social care staff.
Barnet Carers Strategy 2009-2012
The Barnet Carers Strategy 
(PDF: 408KB) is a local 3 year strategy which has been developed on behalf of the multi-agency Carers' Strategy Partnership Board, a sub-group of the Barnet Adult Strategy Group. The aim is to build on the previous Barnet Carers Stratgy and its associated work plan (2005-2007), to reflect recent guidance and contribute to the five strategic outcomes that the government is seeking for carers.
Useful Publications
Choosing support that is right for you is a big decision, and so Barnet's Care Directory is designed to help you and your family make the best choices to meet your needs. The directory is relevant to any adult in need of care who either receives support from the council or funds their own support.
- Barnet Care Directory October 2011(Interactive version)
Other Useful Links
Comments, compliments and complaints
NHS Carers Direct (external link)
Email this pageLast modified by: Neha Shah on 19/10/2011