Carers leaflet

Are you a carer?

Information on the help and support available to carers in Westminster

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Our commitment to Carers Our Vision Westminster City Council Adult Social Care will work in partnership with all carers to build the best possible future for carers and the people they care for.

Shared objectives • To build confidence between Westminster City Council Adult Social Care and carers • To develop a relationship based on respect, openness and honesty • To engage and work in partnership with carers in decisions that affect their lives and the lives of those they care for Source Adult Social Care Carers’ Compact 2011

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Are you a carer?

Recognising yourself as a carer is the first step to getting the support you need.

Carers are people who provide care and support to a partner, a relative, friend or neighbour who needs help due to a physical or mental illness or disability, a learning disability, frailty or an addiction.

For example, you may be looking after a parent, partner, relative or a friend. You may still be at school and helping to care for your mum or dad.

Caring can bring its own rewards but we recognise that sometimes you might find it stressful and time consuming, as well as physically demanding. We can help you to find and make use of different types of support to make your life easier.

Westminster City Council works in partnership with NHS Westminster, the voluntary sector and carers’ organisations to arrange or provide services and support to meet your needs.

The council is committed to developing an agreement with each carer as to how, within our resources, we can best share the responsibility for providing the care a person needs.

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What services are available?

Help available directly for you as a carer There are services that are available directly to you as a carer that the council will not charge for. These include: • An assessment to see how you can be supported • Specific information relating to your own circumstances • Information and advice about health, housing, benefits, finance, education, training, employment and leisure opportunities • A ‘time for me’ scheme - social, leisure, health and educational activities for carers over the age of 50 • Someone to talk to • General and specialised support groups, for example, for carers who are caring for someone who has dementia or who has had a stroke • A one-off payment in the form of a carer’s personal budget • Carers’ Time Bank – opportunities to use your skills to support other carers and get something in return • A carers’ emergency card to plan for emergencies • Involvement as a carer in consultations and planning groups to make services better.

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Help for young carers Westminster Young Carers Service supports children and young people under the age of 18, who give significant physical or emotional support to a family member.

The service offers the following: • Information, advice and advocacy for young carers and their families • Befriending, emotional support and referrals to specialist services • A wide range of social and recreational activities where young carers can meet other young carers, including cinema trips, quad biking and photography workshops • Telephone support and help with school work • Useful learning like first aid training and healthy eating We do not charge for the services we provide to children under the age of 18.

To find out more about support for young carers, contact Westminster Carers Service.

• Visit: www.westcarers.org.uk • Email: westcarers@westcarers.co.uk • Telephone: 020 7434 0670

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Help for the person you care for which may also benefit you Adults who are assessed as eligible for support from Westminster Adults Services are given a “Personal Budget” which they use to buy the support that is right for them. This might include things like short breaks or respite care as well as other things which have previously not been available.

If the person you care for is eligible to receive support from Westminster Adults Services, any support they receive may also benefit you as a carer. This can include: • home support services such as help with personal care, getting up, washing, and dressing • day care services or an activity to go to during the day • meals on wheels • a place to stay for a short time (respite care) • a sitting service, where someone will sit with the person you care for to allow you to do other things.

The person may have to contribute to their personal budget depending on their ability to pay. We will not ask anyone to pay more than they can afford or more than is reasonable. Many people do not have to pay anything. When assessing a person’s ability to pay, the carer’s income is not taken into account.

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A carer’s assessment Whether you provide a large or small amount of care, you can ask Carers Network Westminster to assess your needs as a carer. This is an opportunity to look at your own needs and how you can be supported in your caring role.

If you provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis and the person you care for might be eligible for support from Westminster Adults Services, you can also contact Adults Services directly and ask if they will assess your needs as a carer.

The assessment aims to help you to answer the questions: • What do I need and want for myself to support me as a carer?

• What impact does caring have on my life?

At the end of the assessment they will help you to draw up a plan about how you can best be supported as a carer.

REMEMBER... it is important to let your GP know you are a carer so your health needs as a carer can be taken into account.

Being a carer can affect your own health. Doctors and nurses want to help but they need to know that you are a carer.

To request a carer’s assessment, contact Carers Network Westminster on 020 8960 3033 or Westminster City Council Adults Services on 020 7641 1175.

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Help with finances Becoming a carer can bring big changes to your financial situation through giving up work or having to reduce working hours.

Working and caring Holding down a job whilst caring can feel like doing two jobs, but there is help available and as a carer you do have rights.

You do not have to tell your employer about your caring responsibilities, but you might find that if you tell them about your situation they can help you manage your two roles.

Benefits Not knowing the benefits that are available to carers can often result in people not claiming all that they are entitled to. Available benefits can be dependent on a number of factors such as your income, savings, age and national insurance contributions.

Other help Benefits are not the only way to get help with your finances. You may be entitled to a reduction in your council tax, a grant to adapt your home to meet the needs of the person you care for or help to manage utility bills.

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Carer’s personal budget A carer’s personal budget will provide carers assessed as needing support from the council with a one-off sum of money. It could help you to: • reduce some of the difficulties that may arise when caring for someone • have a break from your caring role • continue in your caring role It enables you to decide for yourself what kind of a break you would like and what outcomes you would like to achieve. This could be to improve your health and well being or to reduce loneliness or social isolation and improve the relationship you have with the person you care for.

You can use your carer’s personal budget towards what has been agreed with your Assessor. Examples of what you might purchase include a holiday, gym membership, educational courses, gardening, white goods, driving lessons or therapies.

For more information about financial help and carers’ personal budgets contact: Carers Network Westminster.

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Visit: www.carers-network.co.uk

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Email: info@carers-network.co.uk

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Telephone: 020 8960 3033

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Useful contacts For full details of the services available to carers in Westminster please contact the individual service or go to westminster.gov.uk/carers Westminster Carers Service Provides a range of services for carers including respite care at home, and young carers’ services.

• Domiciliary respite care service • Arabic speaking carers support group • Time Bank www.westcarers.org.uk westcarers@westcarers.co.uk 020 7434 0670 Carers Network Westminster Information, advice and support you need to maintain your caring role.

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Carers’ breaks Carers emergency card scheme Health and well-being support How to get support for the person you care for

020 8960 3033 info@carers-network.co.uk www.carers-network.co.uk

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Other contacts Injury prevention services – Central London Community Healthcare Aims to prevent injury and promote good health by providing individual and group education and training.

Topics include moving and handling, back care, stress management, benefits of exercise, diet and nutrition.

020 7641 4001 Westminster Society – Family Services Team A variety of services to people with learning disabilities and their families that carers can access. They offer services in the following teams: Family Services Team, Early Support Team, Rainbow Family Centre, and Parent Participation “Make it Happen” group. www.wspld.org.uk familyservicesteam@wspld.org 020 8962 2690 Expert patient programme – looking after me Provides sessions focusing on the physical health and well being of carers. Subjects include relaxation techniques, healthy eating, planning for the future and coping with feelings of depression. www.expertpatients.co.uk 020 7922 7862

Stroke support service – Central London Community Health Care The stroke support service offers one to one support, stroke information and education, signposting to other useful resources and community activities for families and carers of Westminster residents affected by stroke.

WRSNeuroTeam@clch.nhs.uk 020 7641 6627 Time Bank Time Bank is a scheme where members use their skills, knowledge and time to support each other and get something back in return. For every hour of help you give you earn one hour – that’s one Time Credit to spend on getting help for yourself. www.westcarers.org.uk westcarers@westcarers.co.uk 020 7434 0670 Time for me project – Open Age The project makes it possible for unpaid carers who are aged 50 years and over to take time out to relax. The project offers free or low cost activities and social events. www.openage.org.uk mail@openage.org.uk 020 8964 1900 Six Steps Forward Project A collection of information and support sessions for carers of people with dementia.

0370 192 4265

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Westminster City Council Westminster City Hall 64 Victoria Street London SW1E 6QP

020 7641 6000 westminster.gov.uk

12 2012 April

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