A carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid support to family or friends who could not manage without this help. This could be caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems.

Carers may even be juggling paid work with their unpaid caring responsibilities at home. The term carer should not be confused with a care worker, or care assistant, who receives payment for looking after someone.

If you are a carer, your local Carers’ Centre may be able to help make things easier for you. Each centre delivers a wide range of local support services to meet the needs of carers in its community. These range from support services catered to the carer, the needs of the person you care for and the services your council may provide.

Carers have different needs and centres can assist you in information regarding health issues, entitlements, mobility, grants for holidays, equipment and support.

There is a wealth of information on the NHS website about carers and caring. Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.

• A guide to care and support

  Information for carers and people who have care & support needs.

• Caring for someone

  Advice on providing care, medicines etc.

• Care after hospital

  Providing care for people who have been recently discharged from hospital.

• Taking a break

  Caring for someone can be a full-time job - find out about accessing breaks and respite care.

• Support and benefits for carers
  

  Caring for someone can be a full-time job - find out about accessing breaks and respite care.

• Work and Disability
  

  Guidance, support and help with employment issues.

  Being a Young carer

  Advice for carers 18 or under and their entitlement to support

Help claiming benefits, looking after your bank balance and understanding the legal issues of caring.

• Benefits for carers

  Directing carers to the benefits that can help them in their caring role

• Benefits for the under-65s

  Advice and information on helping the person you look after get the benefits that they are entitled to.

  Benefits for the over-65s

  Advice and information on financial support for older people with a disability or illness.

• Carer's Assement
  

  How your benefits maybe affected after the death of the person you look after and what happens to their benefits

• Other benefits

  Advice for carers and the people they are looking after on claiming a whole host of other benefits unrelated to their disability or caring