31st August 2021 update – Covid-19 vaccinations for unpaid carers
Max the Vax – Every carer aged 16+ is now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination
For details on mobile vaccination units and how to book your appointment, please click this link. Young carers aged 16-17 are welcome at the mobile sites and racecourse sites, which now are almost always delivering Pfizer vaccines.
Am I eligible for a vaccination as an unpaid carer?
Yes – unpaid carers include anyone who is eligible for a Carer’s Allowance, or anyone who is the main carer for someone whose welfare may be at risk if their carer fell ill.
Does that include parent carers?
Yes, across Sussex the NHS is including as many eligible parent carers as possible. In Sussex parent carers are eligible if they are caring for a child or young person up to 25, with a special educational need or disability that has a big effect on them every day.
As a guide, this usually means your child has, or is eligible for, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Education Health and Care (EHC) plan, a Compass or iGO Card, or is accessing services such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Does that include young carers (16 or 17-year olds)?
Yes, see this link for more information including how some vulnerable children as young as 12 can access a vaccine.
How can I get vaccinated?
Currently, there are two ways that you can access a vaccination:
- Register with your local carers’ organisation, (see below) and we will help you access the local vaccination services via your GP led local vaccination service or,
- Book online via the National Booking Service (click here) or call 119 (however we have found the website service to be intermittent).
Register with a carers’ organisation
Do you look after a relative, friend or neighbour who could not manage without your support? Many people supporting in this way will not previously have registered as an unpaid carer.
If you are not already registered with a carers’ organisation, you may wish to do so.
Registering with a local carers’ organisation means you can get information and support when you need it most. You can also be kept up to date with how to access a Covid-19 vaccination as an unpaid carer.
- In Brighton & Hove: The Carers Centre for Brighton and Hove. Register via Carers Hub or call 01273 977 000 for more information
- In East Sussex: Care for the Carers/ 01323 738 390 / info@cftc.org.uk
- In West Sussex: Carers Support West Sussex
- Parent Carers with children under the age of 25 across Sussex can register with Amaze at https://amazesussex.org.uk/register-as-a-parent-carer/ or you can contact us at registrations@amazesussex.org.uk 01273 772289
NHS App as Vaccine Passport
Information on using the NHS smartphone app as a COVID-19 Vaccine Passport can be found by downloading this document.
