Carers Guide

A Carer is someone who provides support to a family member, friend or neighbour who has a long term illness or impairment. This section provides a background to some of the legislation for carers, and gives information and contact details for some of the benefits and services that may be available to support carers.

Legislation
How to get support
Information, advice and support
Benefits
Other sources of Information
Contacts

Legislation

The Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995 gives carers the right, when the person they care for is being assessed, to ask for a separate carer's assessment. Carers have to be providing (or intending to provide) a ‘substantial amount of care on a regular basis’ to qualify for a separate assessment. This phrase has now been replaced by the term ‘impact test’. This looks at the effect caring would have on the carer's own life.

The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 made it a duty for Care Managers and others to inform carers of their right to a separate assessment. After having a Carer's Assessment carers may be entitled to have services in their own right. Other Community Care Legislation requires that, even if the carer is not entitled to a separate assessment under the Carers Act, the needs and wishes of the carer should be taken into account when a community care assessment is being carried out. At the time of writing carers should not be assessed financially, nor should they be required to make any financial contribution towards the cost of services provided following a community care assessment.

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 gives carers new rights to information. Section 1 of the Act places a duty on local authorities to inform Carers of their right to a Carer's Assessment. Section 2 states that the Carer's Assessment must take into account whether the carer works or wishes to work, any courses the carer is taking or wishes to take, and any other leisure activities the carer undertakes or wishes to undertake. The Act also gives local authorities new powers to enlist the help of housing, health, education and other agencies in providing support to carers.

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How to get support

The legislation detailed above means that carers could receive an assessment in two ways. Their wishes can be taken into account in the assessment of the person they care for, in which case the process is called a Joint Assessment. Alternatively, if the carer is providing substantial care on a regular basis, they can be given a separate Carer's Assessment.

There are several ways to ask for support. One route is to contact the Access and Contact Team at Darlington Social Services. This is called making a referral. Social Services staff will ask for information about the carer, and the person they care for. An initial decision will be made about whether or not Social Services may be able to help. If the carer or the person cared for may be eligible for help from Social Services, their details will be passed to a specialist worker or team, who will contact the carer to begin the assessment process. Social Services may signpost the carer to another organisation for assistance and information if it is unable to provide support.

Another route for someone seeking assistance is through health service staff, including District Nurses, Health Visitors or a local health centre. If the person being cared for is in hospital it is also possible to talk to staff from the Discharge Management Team, who are based at the hospital to make sure people do not leave hospital without any necessary support.

A number of services to support the carer can be put into place following an assessment by Social Services or Health staff. These include respite care, assistance at home, equipment and adaptations.

Several organisations, including Social Services, can give carers the chance to take a break. This can be provided at home or by the person being cared for going somewhere else, for instance attending a day service. Longer breaks are possible using residential respite services. Respite services may be paid for privately or may be offered as part of a package of care following an assessment.

Aids and adaptations are often available to assist the carer, for more information see the Equipment section of this information guide.

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Information, advice and support

There are a number of other organisations, which can make a referral on behalf of a carer or offer support in other ways.

Darlington Association on Disability's Carers Support Service, provides advice, support and information to carers of any age, whatever their caring situation. This service can signpost carers to other agencies and carers support groups, where carers can meet others in similar situations. The Carers Support Service is also involved in ensuring that carers have a voice in the planning and development of local services. Carers can ask for their details to be held on Darlington Carers Register. This provides the carer with up to date and relevant information about what is happening locally and nationally.

Carers Darlington meets twice a week, and offers carers an opportunity to meet others in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

The Carers Development Officer acts as a focal point for carers' issues in Social Services and consults with carers and their representatives on the development of the department's policies.

The Alzheimer's Society provides support and information to carers of people with dementia. Carers can seek individual advice on their caring situation.

Time Out is a project for Young Carers run by Darlington YMCA. Young Carers are people under the age of 18 years old who are involved in the care or support of a family member who has a long-term illness or impairment. Time Out offers children and young people under the age of 18 a break from their caring responsibilities.

Carers UK is a national organisation committed to carers. It raises awareness at all levels of government and society of the needs of carers and provides information, advice and support to carers. It also produces a number of publications. Carers UK is subscription based, and any carer can become a member. Members receive a regular newsletter.

The central government website Direct.gov.uk has a page dedicated to carer's issues, which provides many useful links.

The Princes Royal Trust for Carers provides carers' support services throughout the UK. As well as having a network of independently managed Carers' Centres the Trust also provides young carers services and information and advice through its interactive website. The nearest Carers Centres to Darlington are in Barnard Castle and Sedgefield.

Parents of disabled children can find support through the Children with Disabilities team based at Harewood House in Darlington , which has been developed jointly by Social Services, Health, Education and Barnados. Initial contact for the team is via Darlington Social Services.

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Benefits

The only benefit payable to carers in recognition of the work that they do is Carers Allowance (CA). To claim CA the person receiving care must be in receipt of Attendance Allowance or the middle rate or higher rate of Disability Care Allowance. In addition the carer must be earning less than £88 per week (after National Insurance Tax and some other deductions have been made) and must be caring for over 35 hours per week. Savings do not affect CA. As from 2002 carers aged 65 and over can make a claim for CA. If the carer fulfils these requirements but already receives one of a number of other benefits such as Income Support, the carer will be told that, although they have an underlying entitlement to CA, they are only eligible to receive Carers Premium.

For claim forms, further advice and information contact your local Department of Works and Pensions (DWP). The Citizens Advice Bureau can also advise on benefit claims.

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Other Sources of Information

Other sections of the Darlington Association on Disability Information Guide may contain further information relevant to carers.

The Equipment section provides sources of information and advice on equipment.

The Health Services section gives a brief overview of local health services and sources of advice and information.

The Legal Rights section gives general information on how to access legal advice

The Living Independently section gives an overview of services, including domicilliary care, Warden Link service and Direct Payments.

The Money Matters section gives brief information on a range of benefits for disabled people.

There are a number of local and national organisations providing broad information and advice resources. Please refer to this guide's Introduction for contact details.

Contact Darlington Association on Disability's Information Service for assistance with searching for information about any subject in this guide or for support in dealing with your information requests.

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Contacts

Alzheimer's Society
Sinclair Court
Darrell Street
Brunswick Village
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE13 7DS
Telephone : 0191 2173810
Fax : 0191 2173819
Minicom :
E-mail :
Website : www.alzheimers.org.uk

Carers Darlington
c/o 50+ Age Concern Darlington
Bradbury House
Beaumont Street
Darlington
DL1 5SX
Telephone : 01325 362832
Fax : 01325 383543
Minicom :
E-mail : darlington@ageconcern.org.uk
Website : www.ageconcern.org.uk

Carers Development Officer
Darlington Borough Council
Social Services Department
Central House
Gladstone Street
Darlington DL3 6JX
Telephone : 01325 346200
Fax : 01325 346474
Minicom : 01325 360862
E-mail :
Website : www.darlington.gov.uk

Carers UK
20-25 Glasshouse Yard
London EC1A 4JT
Telephone : 020 7490 8818
Helpline : 0808 808 7777
Fax : 0207 490 8824
Minicom :
E-mail : info@carersuk.org
Website : www.carers.org.uk

Children with Disabilities Team
Initial contact via-
Access and Contact Team
Social Services Department
Central House
Gladstone Street
Darlington DL3 6JX
Telephone : 01325 346200
Fax: 01325 346474
Minicom : 01325 360862
E-mail :
Website : www.darlington.gov.uk

Darlington Association on Disability
20-22 Horsemarket
Darlington DL1 5PT
Telephone : 01325 489999
Fax : 01325 488188
Minicom : 01325 245 061
Email : mail@darlingtondisability.org
Website : www.darlingtondisability.org

Darlington Association on Disability Carers Support Service
West Lodge
West Crescent
Darlington DL3 7PS
Telephone : 01325 357533
Fax :
Minicom :
E-mail : mail@darlingdisability.org
Website : www.darlingtondisability.org

Darlington Citizens Advice Bureau
Bennett House
14 Horsemarket
Darlington DL1 5PT
Telephone : 01325 380755
Appointments 01325 256999
Fax : 01325 380324
Minicom :
E-mail : bureau@darlingtoncab.co.uk
Website : www.darlingtoncab.co.uk
National advice website : www.adviceguide.org.uk/

Darlington Social Services
Access and Contact Team
Social Services Department
Central House
Gladstone Street
Darlington DL3 6JX
Telephone : 01325 346200
Fax: 01325 346474
Minicom : 01325 360862
E-mail :
Website : www.darlington.gov.uk

Department of Work and Pensions
Carers Allowance Enquiry Line
Palatine House
Lancaster Road
Preston
PR1 1HB
Telephone : 01253 856123 or 0800 882200
Fax : 01772 23895

Direct.gov.uk
Website : www.direct.gov.uk/Audiences/CaringForSomeone/fs/en

Discharge Management Team
5th Floor
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Hollyhurst Road
Darlington DL36HX
Telephone : 01325 743348
Fax : 01325 743284

Disability Benefits Centre
Newcastle DBC
Government Buildings
St Agnes Road
Gabalfa
Cardiff CF14 4YJ
Telephone : 0292 058 6002
Fax :
Textphone : 0292 058 6267
E-mail: Wales-dba-Customer-Services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Website : www.dwp.gov.uk

Princess Royal Trust for Carers
182A Hammersmith Road
London W6 7DJ
Telephone : 020 8563 8014
Fax : 020 8748 2497
Minicom :
E-mail : info@carers.org for publications and public relations
E-mail : help@carers.org for all other enquiries
Website : www.carers.org

Time Out
Darlington YMCA
Unit 4, Beaumont St
Houndgate
Darlington DL1 5SZ
Telephone 01325 350465
E-mail : timeoutyoungcarers@supanet.com

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