Carers

Question 1

What is a carer?

Answer 1

A carer is “a person of any age, adult or child, who provides unpaid support to a partner, child, relative or friend who couldn’t manage to live independently or whose health or wellbeing would deteriorate without this help. This could be due to frailty, disability or serious health condition, mental ill health or substance misuse.”

Question 2

What financial support is a carer entitled to?

Answer 2

Carer’s Allowance is the main welfare benefit to help carers, worth £67.70 per week (this figure is usually reviewed each April). You may be eligible if:

• you must spend at least 35 hours per week caring for someone, whether or not you live with them
• the person you look after receives certain benefits
• you’re not in full-time education or earning more than £128 a week (after tax and expenses)

Question 3

State some difficulties faced by carers

Answer 3

• Emotionally draining/mental health implications
• Impact on own physical health
  
  • Neglect their own health as too busy caring for other person
  • Unable to exercise
  • Physical consequences of being a carer e.g. back problems
• Restriction on their own freedom/life
  
  • Employment
  • Leisure
• Strain on other relationships
  
  • Spouse/partner
  • Friends
  • Children
• Financial impact
• Lack of support with care
• Prejudice/discrimination

Question 4

Discuss some of the:

• Mental
• Physical
• Social
• Financial

… needs of carers

Answer 4

So many needs of carers

Mental

• Assessment of their own mental health
• Support & someone to turn to in times of need

Physical

• Assessment of their own physical health
• Relief/respite to allow them to rest, exercise etc…

Social

• Relief/respite to allow them to socialise
• Supportive, understanding friends
• Social gatherings where they can take the individual they care for with them

Financial

• If unable to work
• May require adaptations in home and require funding for this
• May need adapted transport and require funding for this

Question 5

How can a carer go about getting a carers assessment?

What does a carers assessment involve?

Answer 5

Contact social services and ask for a carer’s assessment. It might recommend things like:

• someone to take over caring so you can take a break
• gym membership and exercise classes to relieve stress
• help with taxi fares if you don’t drive
• help with gardening and housework
• training how to lift safely
• putting you in touch with local support groups so you have people to talk to
• advice about benefits for carers

A carer’s assessment is free and anyone over 18 can ask for one.

It’s separate from the needs assessment the person you care for might have, but you can ask to have them both done at the same time.