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Sandwich carer

Directory for carers

Useful resources, links and sources of support for you as a carer.

As a new or long-term carer, it can be hard to know where to find the help you need for yourself and the person you care for, especially when circumstances change. Whatever stage of the journey you are on, here are tools and resources to help you get started.

If you are a current, former or retired civil servant, or are caring for someone who was, our money and wellbeing teams can help. They have lots of experience of helping carers find the support they need.

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Ask for a carer’s assessment

As a carer, you are legally entitled to an assessment of your needs. This is an opportunity to talk about the impact caring has on your life and to explore the support that might help to make things better for you.

If you are in Scotland, the assessment is usually referred to as an adult carer support plan. If you are in Wales, it’s often called a carer’s needs assessment.

Carers UK has lots of useful information about having a carer’s assessment.

Apply for a Carer’s Passport / Carer’s Statement

Carer’s Passport – Our digital tool will help you to reflect on and document your responsibilities as a carer, as an aid to completing the Civil Service Carer’s Passport.

Carer’s Statement – This downloaded document is for everyone and can be used with organisations outside the workplace.

You will also get a personalised action plan with advice and signposts to additional resources.

Prepare for an emergency

Being prepared can make a difficult situation more manageable. A Carer’s Emergency Plan (PDF) enables you to consider what would happen to the person you care for and how they would be supported, in the event of you being unable to provide care due to an emergency or illness.

Keep the plan somewhere safe and tell people who need to know where it is.

Carry something with you to let people know you are a carer and have an emergency plan.

Get information and support

Local carer’s centres across the UK give advice, information and support for carers. This may include social activities, benefit and services information, support groups such as exercise, chats. Search for your local Carer’s Centre on the Carers Trust website.

Our digital resource, created with Carers UK, gives you support 24/7 . It includes e-learning for carers and young carers, the Jointly app and access to the Carers UK forum to chat with others at any time of day.

Manage your finances and admin

It can be easy to fall behind with admin tasks when you are caring for someone – your own and theirs.

We can help. Find out about legal matters such as Power of Attorney and how to talk to one of our money advisors about debt and budgeting.

Check your benefits

Are you receiving all the benefits you are entitled to?

Our benefits calculator will help you to find out what you can claim. It’s free to use and anonymous.

Before you start, have information about your savings, income, pensions and existing benefits to hand.

Talk to others

Talking to others, whether friends and family, colleagues, your GP or carer’s network is important.

If you want to talk to our Wellbeing Team, we will listen.

You may feel that counselling would help you to work through difficult feelings. If so, we may be able to help with that too.

Look after yourself

When your primary focus is on the needs of other people, it can be hard to make time to do things that are good for your own health and wellbeing. But this can lead to feelings of burnout and low mental health.

Making time for your own wellbeing can give you the strength to manage your caring role.

Register with your GP

If you tell your GP about your caring role they can:

  • refer you to relevant organisations
  • be flexible with appointment times to fit in with your caring responsibilities
  • give you flu and Covid vaccinations. You should get invitations automatically. If you don’t, ask for one.
Tom’s story
The impact of the charity’s help has not only been potentially lifesaving for my daughter, it’s provided peace of mind for the whole family.
Tom

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