Carer's emergency card

This is a scheme which gives unpaid carers a card which tells emergency services that you are a carer and that someone depends on you. The card has a unique reference number and a phone number for the Council's Social Care Direct service. No personal details are held on the card.

When you register you give us information about you and the person you care for. You also need to give us the names of two people who can be contacted in an emergency to help the person you care for.  This scheme is free.

You can still register with the scheme if you don't have anyone who could temporarily take your place. Information can either be provided to the emergency services, or social care services who will make arrangements in an emergency. This would also be the case if the people you nominated were not available.

Who the cards are for

If you answer Yes to the following, you can register for the emergency card

• you provide regular unpaid help and support for a relative, partner or friend who cannot manage on their own
• the person you care for lives in the City of Edinburgh, but you don't need to
• you are an adult carer or a young carer.

How to apply

Please contact us on 0131 200 2336 at any time of day or night and we can take your details on the phone to register for the scheme.  You will be asked to give us your details and list up to two people who can be contacted in an emergency.

You can also download a Carers' Emergency Card registration form and post it to Social Care Direct at the address above on the right.

Once your application is complete we will send you a card with a unique reference number.  Please carry this card on you at all times as it needs to be one of the first things someone finds in case of an emergency.

If my circumstances change

We will send you an annual review form to see if there are any changes in your circumstances, or you can contact us at Social Care Direct.

You may also be interested in applying for a Carer Support Payment.