Do you look after someone who is a member of your family, relative, or a friend who needs support because they have a disability, illness, condition or because they are elderly?

An illness could be a physical, a mental health, or a substance misuse issue. You might help the person you look after in a variety of ways including shopping, collecting medication, cooking, cleaning, providing personal care or helping them to get out and about.

Do you look after this person without being paid to do so?

This means you are not carrying out caring duties via employment or voluntary work. It doesn’t matter whether you are receiving social welfare benefits such as Carers Allowance or pensions. 

If you answered 'yes' to both these questions, then you are an unpaid carer. You may not describe yourself as a carer, it’s just what you do as a husband, wife, partner, parent, child, sibling, relative or friend.