Business and services
supporting carers
What does this mean?
Local businesses and services play an important role in building carer friendly communities by making everyday places more understanding, flexible, and accessible for people with caring responsibilities. Through staff awareness, flexible service delivery, inclusive policies, and visible support for carers, they can reduce practical barriers and create welcoming environments where carers feel recognised and respected.
By working in partnership with local carers’ support organisations and community services, local businesses and services can help to raise awareness, strengthen local networks, and contribute to communities where carers are supported to participate fully in daily life.
Why is this important?
By working in partnership with local organisations and community services which support carers, local businesses and services can help to raise awareness, strengthen local networks, and contribute to communities where carers are supported to participate fully in daily life.
How?
Local businesses and services can take practical, low-cost actions that make a real difference to carers’ daily lives and help build more carer friendly communities, including:
- Offering flexible and accessible services – provide online options, flexible appointment times, easy cancellations or rebooking, and multiple ways to access services.
- Creating welcoming environments – offer seating, quiet spaces, accessible toilets, and clear signage to make spaces easier for carers and the people they support.
- Introducing carer friendly policies – consider priority service, fast-track queues, or quiet hours, and make these policies visible.
- Reducing financial barriers – offer concessions, discounts, or loyalty schemes for carers where possible.
- Training staff in carer awareness – help employees understand what caring is, how it affects people, and how to respond with empathy and flexibility.
- Signposting to local support – display information about local carers organisations, helplines, and support services.
- Partnering with the community – work with local authorities, carers groups, and community organisations on awareness campaigns and events.
- Thinking about your own employees who are providing unpaid care - explore the information about building carer friendly communities in the workplace.
Together, these actions help create everyday places where carers feel recognised, respected, and supported, contributing to stronger, more inclusive communities.
Resources
Find out about Carer Passport schemes in the Community
Find out about building carer friendly communities in: