Carers' rights are rights of unpaid carers or caregivers to public recognition and assistance in preventing and alleviating problems arising from caring for relatives or friends with disabilities. The carers' rights movement draws attention to issues of low income, social exclusion, damage to mental and physical health identified by research into unpaid caregiving. In social policy and campaigning the movement distinguishes such people's situation from that of paid careworkers, who in most developed countries have the benefit of legal employment protection and rights at work. With an increasingly ageing population in all developed societies, the role of carer has been increasingly recognized as an important one, both functionally and economically. Many organizations which provide support for persons with disabilities have developed various forms of support for carers/caregivers as well.

The neutrality of this article is disputed. (August 2018)

Unpaid carers are also referred to as "voluntary caregivers" or "informal carers"; classifications which have been criticized as a misnomer since caring for a relative or friend is normally neither voluntary nor informal. An accepted definition of a carer is, "Someone whose life is in some way restricted by the need to be responsible for the care of someone who is mentally ill, mentally handicapped, physically disabled or whose health is impaired by sickness or old age."^[1] Carers UK defines carers as people who "provide unpaid care by looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner". Around half of all carers are effectively excluded from paid employment through the heavy demands and responsibilities of caring for a vulnerable relative or friend. Their work has huge economic and social impact, being valued at over £87 billion in the UK alone.

On February 27, 2004, the International Alliance of Carers Organizations (IACO) was launched by family caregiving organizations from Australia, the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the U.S. The mission of the organization is threefold:^[2]

• to increase visibility of family caregiving across the lifespan as an international issue;
• to promote the sharing of best practices in caregiving programs between countries; and
• to encourage and provide assistance to countries interested in developing family carer organizations.

IACO is headquartered in London. Initial IACO projects included promotion of a United Nations Day for Carers and a presentation on the IACO as part of a half-day workshop at the International Federation on Ageing conference in Singapore on August 4, 2004. National family carer organizations in all countries are encouraged to join the alliance.^{[citation needed]}

Australia has a population of over 22 million people. Of these 2.5 million are carers.^[3]

In Australia, carers are defined as people, usually family members, who provide support to children or adults who have a disability, mental health problem, chronic condition, who are frail aged or have drug or alcohol dependencies. Carers can be parents, partners, brothers, sisters, friends or children of any age. They may care for a few hours a week or all day every day. In Australia, many carers are eligible for government benefits, while others are employed or have a private income.^[4]

Carers in Australia receive recognition and support in a number of ways:

• Each of the six states and two territories have a non-government, non-profit organisation that advocates on behalf of carers through the Network of Carers Associations. They also provide information and support programs for carers.
• The Australian Government has supported carers since 1983^[5] by providing carer income support and later pensions.
• Australian governments at all levels provide funding for carer-specific programs including carer support groups, respite, counselling for carers and in-home care for the person being cared for. Other programs assist specific groups of carers like young carers and ageing parent carers of adult children. Parent carers of children with disabilities have received financial support since 1998.^[6]
• In October 2010, the Australian Parliament passed the Carer Recognition Act.^[7] For an analysis of the legislation, visit the Australian Parliamentary Library's Bills Digest.^[8]
• Many states have carer recognition laws mandating the consideration of carers in all state policy. New South Wales, for instance, enacted the Carers (Recognition) Act in May 2010.^[9]
• Carers Australia, as part of its support for young people established the Australian National Young Carers Action Team (ANYCAT) in 2007, and following the formation held the "BringIT" conference in 2008.^[10]
• Carers Queensland started its "Young Carers Action Committee" in October 2009, however at its first formal meeting in November 2009 the members changed its name to "Young Carers Action Board Queensland" (YCABQ) – however some board members had reservations over the use of its initials believing that some people may get it confused with Yellow Cabs.^[11]
• In the latter part of 2010 the Australian Government conducted consultations with the Australian community to formulate a National Carer Strategy which was released in August 2011 and formally acknowledges the vital role of carers. The National Carer Recognition legislation and the National Carer Strategy forms part of the Government's response to the 2009 inquiry into better support for carers. See below.
• During the latter part of 2011, the Australian Government Productivity Commission finalised two reports of interest to carers in Australia – Caring for older Australians and the Disability care and support report. Anticipation is now building as the community prepares for aged care and disability reform in Australia.

EUROFAMCARE aims to provide a European review of the situation of family carers of elderly people in relation to the existence, familiarity, availability, use and acceptability of supporting services. In 2003 six countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom) formed a trans-European group, systematically representing the different types of welfare-states in Europe and started a comparative study. The Pan-European Group consists of 23 countries (including the six countries, which are represented by the members of the Consortium).^{[citation needed]}

The last step is a feedback research action phase based both on the study results and on the pan-European expertise. A European Carers' Charter in progress will be further developed by the new European network organization EUROCARERS in order to stimulate further activities both on national and European policy levels.^[19]

EUROCARERS was formally launched in June 2007 to provide a united voice at European level and influence policy both nationally and within the European Union. Eurocarers currently comprises representatives of 18 organisations and research bodies from nine countries. Members have come together to influence policy within the European Institutions to ensure that the invaluable contribution of carers is recognised across Europe.^[20]

There are over 300,000 (estimate) family carers in Finland

• Of them some 29,000 receive family carer's allowance from their respective municipalities under The Act on Family Caregiving
• The municipality may arrange various social and healthcare services to backup family caring. The main types of services are home help and home nursing; meals on wheels; rehabilitation, short-term care etc.
• The law ensures a minimum caregiver allowance of EUR 310.Caregivers in heavy caring situations will receive a minimum of EUR 620 a month (taxable).
• Time off for the carer: at least 3 days / month
• When the carer is continuously or with only minor interruptions tied up to caring.
• The Municipality has to ensure that the care for the care recipient is appropriate during the family carer's time-off. Taking days-off or recreational time do not reduce the amount of family carer allowance.^[21]

Policy and legislation in relation to caregivers living in Scotland is somewhat different from that in England, Wales and Ireland. Carers are defined by the Scottish Census as being "individuals who look after, or give any help or support to family members, friends, neighbours and others because of long-term physical or mental ill health or disability or problems related to old age" (Scotland's Census Results Online [SCROL]. Estimates from the 2001 census put the numbers of carers in Scotland at 481,579. Of these, 175,969 are reported to provide more than 20 hours of care a week, and 24% provide more than 50 hours of care.^[22]

Carers who provide care for 20 hours a week or more are regarded as at the 'heavy end' of caring (Parker 1990). This assumes that they are the most involved carers, providing both personal and physical care, resulting in high levels of stress and most in need of support services. Many of these carers however, continue to provide care without support from social work or health services and because of this they remain hidden or invisible (Scottish Executive 2006, Cavaye 2006).

Carers are viewed by the government as an important resource and in recent years have been given increasing recognition in health and social care policy. Since devolution in 1999 legislation and policy for caregivers has been developed by the former Scottish Executive (now Scottish Government).

Carers in Scotland are regarded as 'partners' in the provision of care. As a result, support services provided to carers are regarded as part of the overall package of care to the person being looked after. This means that carers are not seen as service users and are therefore not responsible for the cost of any service provided. The exception to this is when a carer is looking after their partner; in that situation their income may be taken into account during a financial assessment.

This situation is different from that which exists in England where carers are viewed as services users in their own right and as such are liable for the cost of services provided. Yet, in many cases, it is not the carer who actually needs the service; it is the person being cared for who needs it because of their illness or disability.

According to Carers UK, and based on the 2011 census around 6.5 million people in the UK provide care on an unpaid basis for a relative, friend or neighbour in need of support due to old age, disability, frailty or illness. The population of carers is dynamic: at least a third of all people will fulfil a caring role at some point in their lives.

Research has shown that becoming a carer can have many impacts on a person's life. These include financial costs, exclusion and discrimination at work, social isolation and poor health through stress and physical injury.

At least half of all carers are in full or part-time employment and some care for more than one person. Carers save the UK economy an estimated £119 billion per year,^[23] and economic considerations form a key element in government policy to support carers.

The importance given to carers rights and legislation is evidenced by the record of parliamentary speeches, with 4,118 debates including some mention of carers at the end of March 2008.^[24]

• Scottish carers march down the Royal Mile to Holyrood
• Carers speakers outside the Scottish Parliament
• Carers arrive at the Scottish Parliament
• Cathie Craigie MSP and Cathy Peattie MSP talk to carers.

On 22 April 2009, carers took to the streets of London and Edinburgh for the first time to complain about poverty and seek improvements in welfare benefits and respite care. Around 400 carers took part altogether, presenting a 3000 signature petition to No 10 Downing St, and lobbying MP's MSP's and government ministers.^[25][26]

The National Family Caregivers Association was founded in 1993. According to the United States National Family Caregivers Association, "more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year."^[31] The vast majority of these are unpaid caregivers.

• Caregiver