Know Your Rights, Use Your Rights: Carer’s Rights Day 2026

Caring for someone with a long-term neurological condition is an act of profound dedication, love, and resilience. Whether supporting a partner with Multiple Sclerosis, a parent with Parkinson’s, or a friend navigating life-changing health challenges, millions of unpaid carers across the UK form the invisible backbone of our healthcare and social support systems.  

As we approach Carer’s Rights Day on Monday 19 October, coordinated nationally by Carers UK, it is a vital time to shine a spotlight on these remarkable individuals. This year’s core theme, “Know your rights, use your rights” serves as an essential reminder that carers deserve clarity, empowerment, and legal protections.  

Nowhere is the dedication of carers more visible, or more crucial, than within the community fostered by The Brightwell.

The Heart of The Brightwell: Supporting the Supporters

The Brightwell provides life-enhancing physical, holistic, and oxygen therapies to people living with neurological conditions, supporting individuals and their families week after week.

However, behind every member attending a session, whether for physiotherapy, oxygen therapy, or support, stands a carer. Often, that support goes far beyond attending appointments. It encompasses 24/7 care management, emotional reassurance, physical assistance, and the management of daily household demands.  

The centre doesn’t just care for individuals with neurological conditions; it recognises that families and carers are an inseparable part of that journey. By offering a safe, welcoming community, peer support, and social spaces, The Brightwell provides much-needed breathing room for carers who so often carry the heavy weight of isolation and fatigue.  

Why Carer’s Rights Matter

Many unpaid carers do not see themselves as "carers" they are simply partners, spouses, children, or friends doing what they can for someone they love. Because of this, they often miss out on knowing what they are legally entitled to.  

Carer’s Rights Day aims to bridge that gap. Some of the critical rights every carer should know and use include:  

• The Right to a Carer’s Assessment: Anyone aged 18 or over providing regular, unpaid care is legally entitled to a carer’s assessment from their local authority to determine what support they might need.  

• The Right to Unpaid Carer’s Leave: Under the Carer’s Leave Act, eligible employees have the right to take up to five days of unpaid leave per year to juggle caring responsibilities.  

• Flexible Working Rights: Carers have the legal right to request flexible working arrangements from day one of employment to help manage work alongside their caring duties.  

• Hospital Discharge Consultation: Carers have the right to be identified and consulted when the person they care for is being discharged from a hospital setting.  

• Health and Well-being Protections: This includes being identified as a carer at GP practices and accessing priority health campaigns, such as annual flu jabs. 

Knowing these rights is the first step; using them ensures that carers can protect their own health, maintain their livelihoods, and continue providing sustainable care. To find out more, please visit www.carersuk.org

Standing Together

Living with a neurological condition brings unpredictable daily challenges, and the ripple effects touch every member of a household. By acknowledging Carers’ Rights Day, we validate the immense emotional and physical labour that carers contribute.  

If you are a carer connected to The Brightwell, please know that you are not alone. Lean on your local centre for community and guidance, and empower yourself with knowledge.

To find out more, please visit our Carer’s Support page www.thebrightwell.org.uk/carers-support