Caring for Someone with a Disability or Illness

A carer is someone who looks after a friend, relative or neighbour who needs help because of sickness, age or disability. Community care depends on carers, and carers are entitled to help themselves

Social Services: You have the right to ask the social service department for an assessment for your disabled friend or relative. They may offer help such as a place at a day centre, home help, adaptations to the home, meals or temporary respite care in a residential or nursing home. Carers providing or intending to provide a great deal of care regularly can request an assessment of their ability to care and continue to caring at the same time as the disabled person is assessed. If you cannot manage anymore , social services may be able to arrange a permanent residential place for the person you look after.

A Sitter: A sitter to look after your friend or relative every so often can give you a regular break. Many areas of the country have sit-in schemes such as Crossroads, sometimes run by social services, but often by voluntary organisations.

Disabled people who need a lot of help may be able to get either Attendance Allowance if they are over 65 or Disability Living Allowance if they are younger. If you look after a disabled person you may be able to claim Invalid Care Allowance, provided you meet certain income and age qualifications. If you are on low income, there may also be other benefits you can claim such as Income Support or Housing Benefit.

Council Tax: Some carers and disabled people can get reductions in Council Tax (regardless of savings)

Income Tax: Married men with dependent children whose wives are severely disabled can get an additional personal tax allowance on top of their Married Couples Allowance.

A tax allowance announced in the 1998 budget extended this to mothers with dependent children and incapacitated husbands, backdated to April 1997.

Someone to talk to: There are carers’ groups in many parts of the country where carers can get together to discuss their concerns with others in a similar position. Some areas have carers’ workers whose job it is to coordinate groups and get support for people.

Run by the carers themselves, the Association employs full-time staff who work through seven area offices. There are over 110 branches throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to bring carers together. Carers National Association publishes a journal every month and booklets on issues such as benefits, community care, housing and equipment. Carers Line helpline for both members and non-members. Tel: (0345) 573369

Caring Matters
http://www.caringmatters.dial.pipex.com/
Provide information about the rights, responsibilities, and resources for people whose lives are touched by long term care. Legal and financial matters related to mental incapacity are their speciality.

Crossroads (Association of Crossroads Care Attendant Schemes Ltd)
This national network is able to place trained care attendants in the homes of disabled people of any age whose carers are under strain, helping to avoid a breakdown leading to admission to hospital or residential care.
They are paid for their time and are flexible about attending outside normal working hours. These support services are managed by local schemes. For full details of where the schemes operate Tel: (01788) 573653.