Introduction
1.These explanatory notes relate to the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 which was introduced as a Private Member’s Bill by Dr. Hywel Francis and sponsored in the House of Lords by Lord Ashley of Stoke, and which received Royal Assent on 22nd July 2004. They have been prepared by the Department of Health in order to assist the reader in understanding the Act. They do not form part of the Act and have not been endorsed by Parliament.
2.The notes need to be read in conjunction with the Act. They are not, and are not meant to be, a comprehensive description of the Act. So where a section or part of a section does not seem to require any explanation or comment, none is given.
3.This Act extends only to England and Wales.