Skip to content
Law Society of Scotland
Search
Find a Solicitor
Contact us
About us
Sign in
Search
Find a Solicitor
Contact us
About us
Sign in
  • For members

    • For members

    • CPD & Training

    • Membership and fees

    • Rules and guidance

    • Regulation and compliance

    • Journal

    • Business support

    • Career growth

    • Member benefits

    • Professional support

    • Lawscot Wellbeing

    • Lawscot Sustainability

  • News and events

    • News and events

    • Law Society news

    • Blogs & opinions

    • CPD & Training

    • Events

  • Qualifying and education

    • Qualifying and education

    • Qualifying as a Scottish solicitor

    • Career support and advice

    • Our work with schools

    • Funding your education

    • Social mobility

  • Research and policy

    • Research and policy

    • Research

    • Influencing the law and policy

    • Equality and diversity

    • Our international work

    • Legal Services Review

    • Meet the Policy team

  • For the public

    • For the public

    • What solicitors can do for you

    • Making a complaint

    • Client protection

    • Find a Solicitor

    • Frequently asked questions

    • Your Scottish solicitor

  • About us

    • About us

    • Contact us

    • Who we are

    • Our strategy, reports and plans

    • Help and advice

    • Our standards

    • Work with us

    • Our logo and branding

    • Equality and diversity

  1. Home
  2. News and events
  3. Legal news
  4. Guidance published ahead of commencement of Carers Act

Guidance published ahead of commencement of Carers Act

23rd March 2018

Guidance on implementing the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 has been published by the Scottish Government ahead of the Act coming into force on 1 April 2018.

The Act aims to achieve better support on a more consistent basis for Scotland‘s estimated 788,000 carers, including 44,000 young carers, to protect their own good health and wellbeing and allow them to have a life alongside caring.

It introduces the right to a new adult carer support plan or young carer statement, based on the preventative approach to identify each carer’s personal outcomes and needs for support. Local eligibility criteria must be set in each local authority area, to help authorities determine the level of support to provide based on carers' identified needs. Advice and information services are key to the Act's approach.

Intended for local authorities, health boards and integration authorities, as well as other organisations working alongside statutory bodies to deliver carer support, the guidance encourages them to follow the spirit of the Act itself, with the intention of delivering personalised support which that provides carers with improved choice and control.

It also emphasises the importance of public and other bodies continuing to share learning and good practice, and establishing and maintaining good partnerships with third sector organisations will also play an important part in delivering effective local personalised support.

A separate carers’ charter will be published setting out the rights of carers as provided for under the Act. 

Click here to access the guidance.

Add To Favorites
Law Society of Scotland
Atria One, 144 Morrison Street
Edinburgh
EH3 8EX
If you’re looking for a solicitor, visit FindaSolicitor.scot
T: +44(0) 131 226 7411
E: lawscot@lawscot.org.uk
About us
  • Contact us
  • Who we are
  • Strategy reports plans
  • Help and advice
  • Our standards
  • Work with us
Useful links
  • Find a Solicitor
  • Sign in
  • CPD & Training
  • Rules and guidance
  • Website terms and conditions
Law Society of Scotland | © 2025
Made by Gecko Agency Limited