Information for carers · Advice and information service for disabled people. A welfare benefits...

Information for carers

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Are you a carer?

A carer is someone who looks after a family

member, a friend or partner.

For example if they:

• are ill

• are disabled

• have mental health difficulties

• have problems with drugs or alcohol.

Young carers

Young carers are children and young people

under 18 who look after a family member

in a way that affects their daily life and how

they are growing up.

Carer’s Needs Assessment

If you are a carer or a young carer you can

have a Carer’s Needs Assessment from

Social Care services.

The assessment is to work out what help

and support you might need.

You can have this assessment even if the

person you care for does not want help.

If the person you care for is having an

assessment, your needs will be part of their

assessment too.

I need support with..

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Caring for a disabled child

If you are caring for a disabled child we will

do an assessment for you, your child and

the whole family.

There is a range of support services which

can help.

Contact Children’s Disability Service at

Seaside View Child Development Centre

Tel 01273 265825

Breaks and services for carers of adults

We can help you to take a break from

caring.

You could take a break with the person you

care for or on your own.

Some services we offer are:

• Short term residential or nursing care

• A sitting service at the persons home.

Other things we can help with are:

• Equipment

• Transport costs

• Employment, education or leisure.

If you are a young carer we can help you

join in with activities like:

• school trips

• playschemes

• sport and leisure activities.

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• Have a Carers Needs Assessment

If you would like an assessment of your

needs you can call Access Point

Tel 01273 295550

• Tell your GP you are a carer

Tell your GP that you are a carer as soon as

you can.

Your GP can give you support, advice and

information.

If they know you are a carer they will find it

easier to offer the advice and support you

need.

It might help them to treat you if you get ill

in the future.

If you are caring for someone who is very ill

or frail you might be able to have a free flu

jab.

How can you get help?

I need

support with..

I can help.

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If the person you care for does not have

any services they can have their own

assessment from Adult Social Care.

The assessment will be to work out what

support they need and what services might

help.

Do we have to pay for services?

There is a charge for some of our services.

If the cared for person’s assessment says

they need services then they will also have

a financial assessment.

This is to work out if the cared for person

needs to pay for some of their care. This is

called a contribution.

Self directed support

If the financial assessment says you need

funding from the council you can have a

personal budget.

This is money that the council pays to you

so you can decide how to support your

needs and the needs of the person you

care for.

You can get help with planning support and

using your personal budget.

If your assessment says you need pay for

your services yourself you can still have

help and advice with planning support.

How can you get help for the person

you care for?

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• Access Point

You can call Access Point for information

and advice about all social care services.

Access Point can also carry out a simple

assessment of your needs.

You can also call Access Point for out of

hours social care emergencies.

Minicom 01273 296388

• Comments and Complaints

Adult Social Care

Freephone 0800 0729960

• Children and Young People’s Trust

Freephone 0500291229

Who can you contact? Advice and infomation

Tel 01273 295555

Email [email protected]

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• Emergency back up scheme for carers

This service can help arrange care in the

home if something happens and you

cannot be there.

Tel Access Point on 01273 295555

(see page 6 for more Access Point contact

details)

• Information prescriptions

This is a website for people with long term

health problems or social care needs and

their carers.

There is information about:

• Asthma and diabetes or other health

problems

• Health and social care services

• Financial and housing advice support

groups

• Information for carers

• Education and training opportunities

• Employment and leisure activities

Website www.iph.or.uk

If you need support to access the website

ask at Brighton and Hove library or call

Tel 0800 013 0251.

Specialist Carers organisations

Advice and infomation

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• Daily Living Centre Back Care Service

This service gives advice, support and

equipment (if possible) for carers of adults

and children to help you move and handle

the person you care for safely.

• Alzheimer’s Society

This is a service for people with dementia,

people affected by dementia and their

carers.

The service offers:

• Home visits to give carers a break

• Information and support work

• Carers support groups

• Drop in sessions and clinics

See the local information section on the

website for services in Brighton and Hove.

The helpline is open 9am to 5pm everyday.

Tel 01273 726266

Website www.alzheimers.org.uk

Tel 01273 296132


Website

www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/dailylivingcentre

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• Amaze

This service supports parents and carers of

children with special needs with things like:

� Education

� Disability living allowance

� Social care and health services

Amaze also works with parents of

teenagers moving from childrens to adults

services:

� Telephone helpline for information and

advice

� Compass leisure card (for cheaper

leisure services)

� Workshops and training

Amaze provides free handbooks:

� Through the Maze

A handbook about services available

for children with special needs and

how to access them.

� Through the next Maze

A handbook about services for parents

of teenagers with special needs.

Amaze also supports the Parent Carers

Council (PaCC):

This is a group of parent carers who work

together to influence services for children

with special needs.

For all Amaze services contact:

Tel 01273 772289

Website ww.amazebrighton.org.uk


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• Carers Centre

The carers centre works with adult carers

and young carers and provides:

� Emotional support to help you cope

with and make choices about caring

� Advocacy to make sure you get the

benefits and services you need

� Support groups and activities

� Training courses and events

� Carers forums 4 times a year

� Carers voice - this is about supporting

carer representatives to raise

awareness and improving services for

carers

� Care passports - a communication

tool for when the person your care

for is in hospital or residential care

� Carers link worker scheme - support

to carers at some GP practices

� Factsheets about bereavement

services, help in the home, respite

care services, transport, community

care, holidays and returning to work

� Carers news - a newsletter published

4 time a year

Tel 01273 746222

Textphone 07704 409155


Website www.thecarercentre.org

Advice

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• Crossroads

This is a service to help give carers a break.

Crossroads can help with:

� Regular home visits including evenings

and weekends

� Overnight stays

� Cover for hospital appointments and

special occasions for example

� Cover for emergencies

• Patched

Support and services for families, friends and

carers of substance misusers or anyone in

the local community affected by drug or

alcohol problems.

Patched also does carers needs assessments.

Confidential advice 10am - 10pm everyday

Freephone 0800 085 4450

• Carers Class

Drop in group for carers to try out activities

like yoga, relaxation and meditation and

meet other carers.

Thursdays 2pm - 3:30pm

Address Brighton Buddhist Centre

17 Tichbourne Street

Brighton, BN1 1UR

Tel 01273 772090

Tel 01273 234021

Email b&[email protected]


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• Carers Direct Helpline

Information for carers and the person that

they care for.

Open Monday to Friday 8am - 9pm

Saturday and Sunday 11am - 4 pm

Tel 0808 802 0202

• Courses for carers

Free courses to help carers manage their

own health and the physical and emotional

demands of being a carer.

Contact the Expert Patients Programme for

more information.

Tel 01273 296590


• Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation

Trust Patient Advice and Liaison Service

(PALS)

If you have problems with your GP, hospital

or another health service you can contact

PALS.

Free confidential help, information and

support to patients, carers and anyone who

uses local health services.

Freephone 0800 013 0251



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• The Fed Centre for Independent Living

Website www.bhfederation.org.uk

Direct Payments Support Service

Support with planning and buying services

for people who have Direct Payments.

Disability Advice Centre

Advice and information service for disabled

people. A welfare benefits advisor is

available by appointment.

Tel 01273 203016



Counselling

A low cost, independent, accessible

counselling service for disabled people,

their families, friends and carers.

Tel 01273 208 934

Address 3 Rutland Gardens, Hove, BN3 5PA

Tel 01273 296747



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• Welfare Rights Advice Line

Call or email for advice on all social security

payments.

Open every Wednesday 10am-1pm

Tel 01273 291116


• Benefit Advice

(Department for Work and Pensions)

For new claims contact Job Centre Plus

Tel 0845 600 4254

• Carers Allowance


Call for advice about benefits for people

who look after someone who is disabled.

Helpline 0845 608 4321

Textphone 0845 604 5312

• Work and caring


Help and advice with combining paid work

with caring. For example adviser support,

training, replacement care costs and

benefits advice.

Tel 0845 604 3719


Website www.direct.gov.uk/en/caringforsomeone


Website www.direct.gov.uk/en/caringforsomeone



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• Carers UK

Carer led organisation offering advice and

support for all carers.

Helpline open

Weds - Thurs 10am-12pm and 2pm - 4pm

Carers Line 0808 8087777


Website www.carersuk.org

• NHS 111

24 hour service for non-urgent medical advice.

Advice and

infomation

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• Remember you’re a carer!

Recognising yourself as a carer is the first step to

getting the help and support you need.

• Include your family and friends

They can support you and help you take a break.

Trying to cope on your own can make you ill.

• Tell your GP

Make sure you tell your GP that you are a carer,

and ask them to put it in your notes.

• Tell Social Services

It is important that they know about the person

you care for. They can do a carers assessment

which will help you get support for you and the

person you care for.

• Tell people at work

Your caring role is likely to mean you need support

at work for example time out for appointments.

Your employer must consider a carer’s request for

flexible working.

• Claim your entitlements.

There are benefits that you can get to help you in

your caring role. Find information in this booklet.

Other things you can do

I can help.

We can help.

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• Get advice

Contact one of the local carers organisations in this

booklet. They can give you information, advice

and support.

• Join the Emergency Back-Up Scheme (see page 7)

• Look after yourself.

Caring can be exhausting and it is important to look

after your health and to make time for yourself.

• Complete a Care Passport.

This helps to share information about the person

you care for if they go to hospital.

• Think about the future.

You may not always be a carer. It is important that

you keep as much of your own life going as you can

- work, friends, hobbies and interests.

Information for carers · Advice and information service for disabled people. A welfare benefits...

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