Caring for someone

If you are an unpaid carer of someone aged 18 years or over, you are entitled to your own carer’s assessment. You can have an assessment even if the person you care for isn't receiving any care and support from us. You can have a separate carer's assessment carried out on our behalf by Carers Lancashire, which is a service that specialises in supporting carers or, providing they agree, a combined assessment with the person you care for completed by us.

Your carer’s assessment will look at the different ways in which caring affects your life and how you can carry on doing the things that are important to you and your family. Your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing will be at the heart of your assessment. It will also consider other important issues, such as whether you are able or willing to carry on caring, whether you work or want to work, and whether you want to do more socially.

If, as a carer, you are eligible for support you may be offered money through a carer's personal budget to spend on things that make caring easier for you and support you to carry on caring.

You may get a carer's personal budget if the following applies to you:

  • you are an unpaid adult carer caring for an adult
  • the person you care for lives in Lancashire
  • you have had a carer's assessment which shows you are eligible
  • your carer's assessment shows that you have needs that cannot be met another way

If your assessment shows you are eligible for support, a support plan will be put together with you showing how your needs will be met. Support provided directly to carers, including a carer's personal budget, is free of financial assessment and charge.

It may be that the best way to meet a carer's needs is to provide care and support directly to the person they care for.  For example, by providing replacement care to allow the carer to take a break.  It is possible to do this as long as the person needing care agrees to an assessment and is eligible for support.

If you are not eligible or your needs can be met another way, you will not be entitled to a carer's personal budget. However we will talk to you about other organisations and services that may be able to help you.

If you think you are a carer and need support, please get in touch by telephoning Carers Lancashire on 0345 688 7113.

Carers Lancashire offers:

  • carers' assessments
  • carers' personal budgets and support plans to those eligible
  • help planning for an emergency if you cannot carry out your caring duties
  • carers forums/support groups
  • sitting in service
  • free courses for carers
  • trips and events for carers
  • free individual therapy treatments
  • information and advice

Financial support for carers

There are a range of benefits and tax credits and other financial support for carers.

A break from caring

You may experience stress, ill health or mental health problems because of your caring responsibilities. The person you care for may be looked after for a short time so you can have a break from your caring role.

A short break could be:

In residential or other accommodation

If the person you support has an assessment and receives any services from us you may be able to access the following services.

In your home or community

  • care at home service such as support to manage day to day tasks in your own home

If you think you are a carer and would like to use this support, please get in touch by telephoning Carers Lancashire on 0345 688 7113.

If you prefer to make your own arrangements, without any help from us, you can look at other care support options, or you may want to take a look at 'a little bit of help' that could make caring easier for you.