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AS we pay tribute to all those across the country who helped us raise awareness of carers on Carers Rights Day, which took place on December 7, I should like to remind your readers that providing good information and advice for carers is still one of our highest priorities.

According to all of our surveys, it is a lack of information and advice which remains the biggest obstacle to enabling carers to make choices about their lives.

Many people who care for sick, frail or disabled relatives or partners do not realise that they are carers until it actually happens to them.

At this point their caring role overtakes them and they become stressed, tired and isolated - often too busy to fight for the support services that they are entitled to and which would help ease their caring duties and allow them a quality of life which we take for granted.

We welcome the progress made for carers, not least the government's recent move to ensure carers have greater control over the kind of services they receive.

However, information is still the key to genuine choice.

To this end, we would like to remind people of our free booklet which is entitled "Looking after someone: a guide to carers' rights and benefits".

To obtain a copy of this booklet please call: 0808 808 7777 or visit our website which can be located at: www.carersuk.org

10:53am Thursday 27th December 2007

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