Care Services
Support for carers
Are you caring for someone with a life limiting or terminal illness?
If you are regularly taking a relative or friend to appointments, helping them with household chores and assisting them with dressing themselves and bathing, then you are a Carer.
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend, who is unable to do basic day to day tasks like personal care such as washing, dressing, taking medication and attending appointments etc.
For some, taking on a caring role can be sudden, for others caring responsibilities can grow gradually over time. The amount and type of support that carers provide can vary considerably. It can range from a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing emotional support and personal care day and night.
We know that caring for a loved one can be very rewarding, but we understand it can also be demanding of your time and sometimes overwhelming.
We work collaboratively with Carers First to offer patients, their relatives and carers support where they need it and when they need it.
Click here to access the Carers First Forum
Living with a life limiting illness or caring for someone who is, can lead to serious financial hardship. The Welfare Team is a free confidential Welfare Benefit Advice Service which is delivered to patients and their carers via telephone or face to face (a small number of these will be in a patient’s home).
Carers Allowance (CA) is for people who are caring for 35 hours or more a week, and the person they are caring for is in receipt of Disabled Living Allowance on middle or high rate care, Personal independence payment (any rate) for Daily Living or Attendance Allowance (any rate). It is not means tested regarding savings or capital, but any earned income must be below a designated figure to qualify.
NOTE: Carers Allowance can affect the other benefits that you and the person you care for get. In some cases it will enable the carer to receive additional premiums if claiming other means tested benefits.
For more information about benefits and entitlements call our Welfare team on 01476 513 544