Carers Support Merton is an independent local charity formed in 1991 by a group of local carers to support unpaid carers in the London Borough of Merton   An unpaid carer is someone who looks after a friend, family member or neighbour, who due to disability, mental or physical ill health, or an addiction, could not cope without their support.  Our mission is to empower unpaid carers to live a fulfilling life. 

Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding role, but it can also be isolating, frustrating, and overwhelming.  Carers often struggle to navigate complex and under resourced social care and health systems to get the best for the person they care for.  Many carers experience emotional or physical ill health, lose friends and hobbies, endure relationship difficulties, and experience financial poverty as a result of their caring role.  

Many carers are children, as young as five, who care for a parent and/or sibling with disabilities, or mental or physical ill health.  Their caring role is often unidentified It is well documented that young carers achieve less well academically, miss more school and suffer more ill health and bullying than their peers.  

We help carers to navigate health and social care systems, take care of their physical health and emotional wellbeing, understand more about the condition/needs of the person they care for, maximise their income, and to access social, work and educational opportunities if they so wish.  We also provide activities to give Carers a break from their caring situation.