Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004^[1]
Dates
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to place duties on local authorities and health bodies in respect of carers; and for connected purposes.
Citation	2004 c 15
Territorial extent	England and Wales^[2]
Royal Assent	22 July 2004
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 (c 15) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom aimed at helping carers achieve fair access to training, work and leisure opportunities. It was introduced as a Private Member's Bill by Dr. Hywel Francis and sponsored in the House of Lords by Lord Ashley of Stoke. 5.2 million people in England and Wales identified themselves in the 2001 Census as providing unpaid care to support family members, friends, neighbours or others because of long-term physical or mental ill-health, disability or old age.^[3] That represented nearly 10 per cent of the population and of those, 21 per cent (1.09 million) provided care for 50 or more hours per week.

The Act requires assessments to be offered to carers, to consider the needs of carers in relation to leisure, education, training and work. Not all carers will wish to pursue all of these opportunities but practitioners completing assessments with the carer should be able to signpost carers to other relevant agencies.

Section 6 - Short title, commencement and extent

This section came into force on 22 July 2004.^[4]

The following orders have been made under section 6(2):

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 (Commencement) (England) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/876 (C. 37))
The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/1153 (W. 70) (C. 53))

Content

The Act

places a duty on local authorities to tell carers about their rights,
places a duty on local authorities to consider whether the carer works or wishes to work, wishes to study or have some leisure activities, when they are carrying out a carer's assessment,
gives local authorities strong powers to enlist the help of health, housing and education authorities in providing support for carers.

References

↑ The citation of this Act by this short title is authorised by section 6(1) of this Act.
↑ The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004, section 6(7)
↑ SCIE Guide 5 Implementing the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004
↑ The Interpretation Act 1978, section 4(b)

External links

Text of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database
Explanatory notes to the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004.

United Kingdom legislation

Pre-Parliamentary legislation	List of English statutes Charter of Liberties Magna Carta

Acts of Parliament by states preceding the Kingdom of Great Britain	Acts of the Parliament of England to 1483 1485–1601 1603–1641 Interregnum (1642–1660) 1660–1699 1700–1706 Acts of the Parliament of Scotland Acts of the Parliament of Ireland to 1700 1701–1800

Acts of Parliament of the Kingdom of Great Britain	1707–1719 1720–1739 1740–1759 1760–1779 1780–1800

Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	1801–1819 1820–1839 1840–1859 1860–1879 1880–1899 1900–1919 1920–1939 1940–1959 1960–1979 1980–1999 2000 to date Halsbury's Statutes UK Statute Law Database Short titles

Church of England measures	List Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919

Legislation of devolved institutions	Acts of the Scottish Parliament Acts and Measures of the National Assembly for Wales Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland Orders in Council for Northern Ireland

Orders-in-Council	Order in Council

Secondary legislation	United Kingdom Statutory Instruments Scottish Statutory Instruments Act of Sederunt, Act of Adjournal

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