unpaid caregiver support Archives

Grace Cares and Anthony Collins LLP deliver legal rights session supporting unpaid caregivers navigating complex care decisions.

Unpaid caregivers supporting family members and friends across the UK received practical legal guidance this week through a specialist Care Club session delivered by Grace Cares in partnership with Anthony Collins LLP.

The session – Understanding Care and Legal Rights: Advice and Q&A – addressed key challenges faced by people providing unpaid care, many of whom are making complex decisions without formal training, legal clarity or consistent access to support.

With unpaid caregivers estimated to save the UK economy billions each year, improving access to clear legal information is increasingly recognised as essential to preventing crisis escalation and reducing pressure on statutory services.

Legal specialists Laura Jordan, Partner, and Beth Parlane, Solicitor, provided guidance on:

Rights under the Care Act 2014

Employment protections for unpaid caregivers

Financial support and benefits access

Mental capacity and decision-making frameworks

Housing and property considerations

NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility

End-of-life and estate planning

The session formed part of Grace Cares’ wider preventative support programme for unpaid caregivers and older people, alongside its circular economy model redistributing surplus care equipment and reinvesting income into community-based interventions tackling isolation and hardship.

Hannah Montgomery, Co-founder of Grace Cares, said:

“Unpaid caregivers are holding together large parts of the health and social care system, yet too many people still struggle to access clear, trusted information about their rights.

Care Club exists to bridge that gap – bringing expert advice directly to communities in a way that is practical, accessible and human. Partnerships like this with Anthony Collins LLP help ensure people feel more confident making decisions earlier, before challenges escalate.”

Laura Jordan, Partner at Anthony Collins LLP, added:

“Understanding legal rights around care, funding and decision-making can significantly improve outcomes for both caregivers and the people they support.

We were delighted to work alongside Grace Cares to create a space where individuals could ask questions openly and leave better equipped to navigate complex systems.”

Upcoming session

A further online Care Club session will take place on 27 April at 9.30am, with recordings available to all registered participants:

Supporting Image: Beth Parlane, Solicitor and Laura Jordan, partner from Anthony Collins LLP

Ontex Partners with Grace Cares to Launch ‘Carer Connect’: A New Initiative to Support the Nation’s Unpaid Carers

Ontex, a leading global provider of personal hygiene products, is proud to partner with Grace Cares. They are looking to launch Carer Connect a new initiative dedicated to understanding and supporting the millions of unpaid carers across the UK.

At the heart of Carer Connect is a nationwide consultation, led by Vicki Marshall. Vicki recently joined Grace Cares in a newly created part-time role, part-funded by Ontex. Drawing on over two decades of NHS experience and a personal passion for community wellbeing, Vicki has led both a wide-reaching survey and a series of face-to-face listening sessions with unpaid carers. She has also reached out to local support networks, councils and the Carers Trust.

“Unpaid carers are often the invisible support holding families and communities together,” said Vicki. “Many don’t even recognise themselves as carers, they’re simply looking after someone they love. But they deserve to be recognised, respected, and supported.”

The findings from this consultation are now being compiled into a white paper of recommendations called Caring by Love, not by Pay: Stories and solutions from unpaid carers. This will shape the foundation of Carer Connect’s first support offer later this year.

Unpaid carers play a critical yet under-supported role in society. According to Carers UK, there are an estimated 5.7 million unpaid carers in the UK, contributing care worth around £132 billion annually. That is the equivalent of a second NHS. Yet many go without access to even the most basic support or recognition.

“Partnering with Ontex has given us the opportunity to truly listen,” said Hannah Montgomery, Co-Founder of Grace Cares. “Carer Connect is about more than resources – it’s about building a movement. We want unpaid carers to feel seen, valued, and supported, not left to carry the weight in silence.”

Michelle Garvey, Marketing Manager (UK Healthcare) at Ontex, added:
“Supporting unpaid carers aligns perfectly with our mission to make everyday life easier for people of all generations. Grace Cares brings real innovation and compassion to the table, and we’re proud to stand behind a project that’s both practical and impactful.”

Want to Get Involved?

If you’re an unpaid carer, are an organisation who already offers support or signposting to help unpaid carers, or if you’d like to support the Carer Connect initiative, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via:

📧 hello@grace-cares.com
📞 01543 730189

About Grace Cares

Grace Cares is a Lichfield-based not-for-profit making care more sustainable through Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. The organisation rescues care equipment from landfill and resells it affordably, using profits to support older people, care workers, and families through events, hardship grants, and sustainability programmes.

About Ontex

Ontex is a global provider of personal hygiene solutions, offering trusted products in baby care, feminine hygiene, and adult incontinence care. With a commitment to sustainable innovation, Ontex develops quality solutions that improve everyday life while making a positive impact on communities worldwide.

Pictured L-R – Hannah Montgomery, Grace Cares – Michelle Garvey, Ontex – Vicki Marshall, Grace Cares