8. Support for Informal Carers – the Role of Social Security

Introduction This chapter deals with a major aspect of how care or support is provided to disabled people – by relatives or friends on an informal basis. It is important to preface this discussion by acknowledging the relationship that exists between the level of support disabled people receive from the state and their need to rely on informal sources. It is also important to acknowledge that the language of ‘care’ is itself problematic. Many disabled people neither need nor want care and do not want to rely on informal carers (see the chapter by Richard Wood in this volume). They need statutory support to enable them to maximise their independence. Other disabled people do want and need help from informal carers. The population of disabled people is varied. It includes severely disabled children, elderly people suffering from dementia, adults with mental health problems and people with terminal illnesses as well as people with mainly physical or sensory conditions. It is clearly important to press for the development of policies and services that maximise the independence of disabled people. However, it is also important to recognise that, for reasons to do with the kinds of condition involved and with love and familial obligations as well as resource constraints, there will probably always be disabled people whose relatives and friends are involved in supporting them. These informal carers themselves need support. The case for taking a hard look at the circumstances of carers and the objectives and structure of policies to support them is strong. Like