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Caring for a loved one and putting their needs before your own while rewarding, can also be both mentally and physically challenging.
Carers often feel stressed, tired and isolated; when paired with additional financial strain and worry, carers can often be left feeling overwhelmed.
This article takes a closer look at available support for carers.
Benefits for carers
There are a number of state benefits available as a form of support for carers in the UK.
If you are eligible, you could claim the following benefits to help you with the costs of caring.
Carer’s Allowance
The Carer’s Allowance is the main state benefit for carers. If you look after someone for more than 35 hours a week you will receive £81.90.
You will not receive Carer’s Allowance if you get more than £81.90 a week from other benefits. However it may still be worth applying as you may have an underlying entitlement to Carer’s Allowance which can help increase other benefits you receive.
From February 2024 onwards, Social Security Scotland will gradually transfer existing Carer’s Allowance claimants in Scotland onto Carer Support Payment – which will be paid at a rate of £76.75 per week, the same amount as Carer’s Allowance.
The rules are the same as Carers Allowance with the exception that many carers in full-time education may be able to claim.
Carers in Scotland receiving the Carer Support Payment on a certain date will also receive an additional payment twice a year called the Carers Allowance Supplement.
Carer’s Credit
Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance (NI) contribution to make sure you do not lose out on social security benefits, such as the State Pension because of gaps in your NI record.
You will be eligible for Carer’s Credit if you look after someone for more than 20 hours a week and do not get Carer’s Allowance.
Carer Premium
A Carer Premium is an allowance you can get on top of some benefits. You can get a Carer Premium if you already get a benefit, such as Income Support or Housing Benefit.
Emotional support for carers
It’s important to talk to someone about how you feel when you feel overwhelmed or that you’re unable to cope.
Rather than bottling up your worries, try talking to someone you trust about how you feel, even if it feels difficult at first.
You can contact your GP to see if they can refer you to a therapist. Similarly, if you would rather talk to someone that isn’t a family member, friend or colleague, there will likely be local emotional support for carers in your local area – whether a local carer’s support group or centre. Find your local support group via Carers UK here.
If you’re online, you can also chat to other carers and get support in online forums, such as:
- Carer’s UK Forum: offering support to the 6.5 million unpaid carers in the UK
- Gransnet forum: a busy online community for carers over 50
- Simplyhealth Care Community: a place to discuss health and caring for loved ones, particularly in later life
- Age UK and Alzheimer’s Society have lots of advice and support on their websites and are very useful resources
Dementia support groups
Caring for a loved one living with dementia can leave you feeling sad, confused, angry or even guilty. And unfortunately, unlike other conditions, it can be difficult to share these feelings with them, leaving you feeling alone and unable to talk about the feelings you’re experiencing.
It is important to acknowledge these feelings, and remember there is no right or wrong way to feel in this situation.
But what support is available for dementia carers? You could start by talking to your doctor if you feel anxious, low or are struggling to cope, as they can get you the help and support you need.
There is also support for dementia carers available via dementia support groups which are a great way to get support from people who understand what you’re going through and can share their experiences. Most carers’ groups will meet regularly and may include leisure activities, trips, talks from speakers and a safe space to just sit and chat.
Contact these organisations to find out about local dementia support for carers:
Respite care
Respite care is a form of support for informal carers, when someone else steps in to take over your caring responsibilities for a while, offering you the chance to have a real break.
Respite care means different things to different people, whether you need some extra help for a few hours or want to go on a full holiday with your family. The main types of respite care are:
- Day care centres
- Homecare from a paid carer
- A short stay in a care home
- Getting friends and family to help
- Respite holidays
- Sitting services
Costs can vary widely depending on the type of respite care needed. To see if you qualify for payment towards respite care from your local council, you will need to have a Carer’s Assessment and a care Needs Assessment.
There are also a few charities that can offer financial assistance towards respite care support for carers:
- Respite Association provides assistance in the funding of respite care
- Haven offers up to 15% for a carers discount
Grants and discounts
There are a number of grants and discounts that can offer support for carers in the UK.
As a carer, it’s understandable to worry about how you or the person you care for will manage financially. This is where grants and discounts offering support for carers can help.
There are thousands of trusts across the country which have been set up with the sole purpose of helping people in need – with a number of these charitable trusts being keen to support carers.
For example, the Scottish Government has introduced a help package for young carers, including the Young Carers Grant which gives young people aged 16 to 18 the opportunity to receive £300 a year if they undertake care for over 16 hours a week.
Other carer grants and discounts include:
- Carer’s Trust has grants of up to £300 for adult carers
- Turn2Us is a national charity offering financial support and grants
Stay active
Exercise and staying active, wherever possible, can help to lift your spirits – even pottering around the garden or walking to the shops helps.
The NHS has some useful information about fitness for older people, including 10 minute workouts you can do at home.
As a carer, it’s important to keep up with your hobbies and activities if you can, to retain a sense of self and also give your mind a way to unwind. Whether it’s knitting, crosswords, swimming, or meeting a friend for coffee, you need some time for yourself to maintain a healthy balance in your life.
Get a Carer’s Assessment
As a carer, you are entitled to a Carer’s Assessment from the adult social services department of your local council (find your local council here).
A Carer’s Assessment is the first step in finding the right support for carers in the UK. Your council will look at your caregiving responsibilities to assess how much help you need.
The assessment will take about an hour and someone from the council will ask you some questions about your caring role and how it impacts your life.
Following the assessment, your local council might be able to offer extra support for informal carers, including:
- Organising some cover so you can take a break from caring (respite care)
- Help with domestic tasks such as housework or gardening
- Emotional support for carers such as counselling
- Training about how to best care for someone e.g. lifting safely
- Advice about benefits for carers
Consider starting formal care
Professional care packages can start very small – it can be as simple as coming around and having a cup of tea and a chat, helping with the shopping, or helping to tidy up. Read more about the different care types that are available.
CareSourcer is an entirely free service to help you find all types of social care services, using a searchable online directory of local care agencies.
Whether you are looking for emotional support for carers; support for dementia carers; or dementia support groups for carers, CareSourcer can help.
If you need care urgently, our team of care experts are also available by telephone on freephone 0800 048 8618 to guide you through the process.
Frequently asked questions
- What support can a carer get? Available support for carers includes benefits like Carer’s Allowance; Carer’s Credit; Universal Credit; Pension Credit
- How do you deal with carer stress? Talking to other people who are in a similar situation can be a great help when you are feeling stressed.
- What does caregiver burnout feel like? Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that happens while you’re taking care of someone else. Stressed caregivers may experience fatigue, anxiety and depression.
- What is social support for caregivers? Both dementia support groups for carers and caregiver support groups are valuable resources, offering carers the opportunity to connect with people who understand your experiences.