Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

(3) 'Carer' means an adult who provides or intends to provide care for another adult (an 'adult needing care'); but see subsections (9) and (10).
(9) An adult is not to be regarded as a carer if the adult provides or intends to provide care--
(a) under or by virtue of a contract, or
(b) as voluntary work.
(10) But in a case where the local authority considers that the relationship between the adult needing care and the adult providing or intending to provide care is such that it would be appropriate for the latter to be regarded as a carer, that adult is to be regarded as such (and subsection (9) is therefore to be ignored in that case).

Somebody who provides support or who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their age, physical or mental illness, or disability. This would not usually include someone paid or employed to carry out that role, or someone who is a volunteer.

Someone who provides unpaid care by looking after a friend or neighbour who needs support because of sickness, age or disability. In this document, the term carer does not mean a paid care worker.

Someone who provides unpaid care by looking after a friend or neighbour who needs support because of sickness, age or disability. In this document, the role of the carer is different from the role of a professional care worker.

Person looking after someone regularly because they're ill, elderly or disabled - including family members

Carers look after their family, partners or friends who are in need of help because they are ill, frail, or have a disability. The care they provide is unpaid. Carers include young carers. The term does not include paid care workers or people who undertake voluntary work.

Someone who provides informal care and support to a child, young person or adult with a learning disability. It does not cover staff who are paid to provide care or support.

A person who provides unpaid support to a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who is ill, struggling or disabled and could not manage without this help. This is distinct from a care worker, who is paid to support people.

The term 'carer' is used to define an informal, unpaid carer only (see also 'care worker').

A person who provides unpaid support to someone who is ill, having trouble coping or who has disabilities.

A person who provides unpaid support to someone who is ill, having trouble coping or has disabilities.

A carer is someone who helps another person, usually a relative or friend, in their day?to?day life. This is not the same as someone who provides care professionally or through a voluntary organisation.

A person who provides unpaid support to a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who is ill, struggling or has a disability. This does not include paid carers (care workers), who are included in the definition of staff.

In this guideline, a carer is an adult (aged 18 or over) who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, partner or friend (aged 16 or over) because of a disability, health condition, frailty, mental health problem, addiction or other health or social care need.

A carer is someone who helps another person, usually a relative or friend, in their day-to-day life. This is not the same as someone who provides care professionally or through a voluntary organisation.

An individual who provides unpaid support to a family member or friend who cannot manage without this help.

A Carer is a PERSON.
A Carer is a PERSON who is either providing or intending to provide a substantial amount of unpaid care on a regular basis for someone who is disabled, ill or frail.
A Carer is usually a family member, friend or neighbour and does not include Care Workers (Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995.)
Note: This NHS Business Definition is referenced by the approved Information Standard SCCI1580: Palliative Care Co-ordination: Core Content (Formerly End of Life Care).

A person who provides unpaid support to a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who is ill, struggling or disabled and could not manage without this help. This is distinct from a care worker, who is paid to support people.

The definition of a carer is taken from the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 [now repealed] which utilises the following description: "Carers (aged 16 and over) who provide or intend to provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis for another individual aged 18 or over". Although the Act only refers to carers aged 16 and over, younger carers of adults should be included in this return. The Act excludes from the definition of a carer, paid care workers and volunteers from a voluntary organisation. It is possible for a client to have more than one carer, and for a carer to additionally be a client in his or her own right.

Proposed definition of "care supporter" from the Care Supporters Bill presented to Parliament on 6 June 2023:

A “care supporter” means a person who is –

(a) a relative, friend or carer of the service user; or
(b) a donee of a lasting power of attorney granted by the service user; or
(c) any deputy appointed for the service user by the court; and who
(d) the service user has requested should be permitted to accompany him or, if the service user is incapacitated, is a person who –
(i) the service user has previously in writing requested should accompany him;
(ii) has been designated as a care supporter pursuant to a best interests decision under section 4 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The Care Act definition of carer (and the distinction between paid and unpaid carers) isn't widely enough understood to avoid confusion.

Does "carer" disempower or stigmatise the person being cared for? Is the "carer" actually a support person, someone who has your back? "I don't think of her as a carer, she's my wife, I'd do exactly the same for her".

Likewise, is "carer" always the best way to refer to the person providing care and support, and is it a term they use or recognise about themselves? "I'm not a carer, I'm his mum."

The definition in the ASC Collections Data Dictionary is based on the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, which has now been repealed.

In its use of the phrase "a SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT of care on a REGULAR BASIS", it replicates the definition in the NHS Data Dictionary (see hyperlink), which references the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995 (see second hyperlink). The latter Act applies only to care provided to children in specified circumstances relating to mental health or disability.

The phrase "a SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT of care on a REGULAR BASIS" is inconsistent with the Care Act definition.

Definition from NICE Guidelines NG67 and NG93 refers to informal carers; this is inappropriate (see Informal carer).