Day-to-day support services could allow you to go to work or take a break during the day. They could also help you when the person you care for needs specialist care or a substantial amount of looking after.
Although you access their services through your local authority, social services may work with other agencies to provide different types of support - for example, charities and private sector organisations.
This can include:
- providing support at day centres
- arranging and providing home care help
- finding a more suitable home for the person you care for
- providing and arranging residential care
Day care centres
Many parts of the country have day care centres. They will benefit both you as a carer and the person you care for by giving you both a break. Day centres provide a range of care services for people with different disabilities.
The needs assessment of the person you care for may state that visits to a day centre are part of the support that they, and you, receive. In this case, your local authority must make sure this happens.
Find out about local day centres
The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority - or council - website where you can find out more about day centres in your local area.
Help at home
There are many ways you can receive help at home for the person you care for. Home care workers who provide this support have differing roles too.
Care assistants carry out tasks like cleaning, shopping and preparing meals.
Domiciliary care workers provide 'personal care', for example helping someone go to the toilet or get washed and dressed.
You may be able to choose to employ people to help with care at home on your own. You should seek advice from your local authority or local support organisations.
Care homes and care homes with nursing
Care homes are for people who can no longer cope at home and need support with their personal care. Some can offer short-term stays to the person you care for, to let you have a break. Often they are for more long-term or permanent care.
Care homes with nursing offer support for people whose illness or disability means that they need nursing care on a regular basis.
Care homes can be run by your local authority, private companies and voluntary organisations.
Find out about local advice and support for adult carers
Your local authority is the first place to turn for support and advice about caring for someone. The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority - or council - website, where you can find out more.
Additional links
Do it online
Useful contacts
Global links
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/CaringAndSupportServices/DG...
PDF version What direct payments can be used for
Direct payments can be used to buy services from an organisation or to employ somebody to provide assistance. As a carer, you can use a direct payment to purchase the services you are assessed as needing to support you in your caring role. This includes support that may help maintain your health and well-being. For example, driving lessons or a holiday so you can have time to yourself.
If you are assessed as needing domestic help, you may ask for a direct payment and buy the support services you need.
Direct payments - money from the local council to pay for care services - is not the same as Direct Payment - pensions and benefits paid directly into an account.
What direct payments cannot be used for
You cannot use direct payments to buy services for the person you care for. They can only be spent on getting the support you, as a carer, have been assessed as needing.
You also cannot use direct payments to secure a service from your spouse or civil partner, close relatives or anyone who lives in the same household as you, unless that person is someone who you have specifically recruited to be a live-in employee.
There can be exceptional circumstances, which your council may agree with you.
Eligibility
If you already receive social services
Your local council has to offer you the option of direct payments in place of the services you currently receive. Under some circumstances you cannot get direct payments. Your council will be able to tell you about these.
If you're not receiving social services
To get direct payments you will need to contact your local council to ask them to assess your needs.
Direct payments for disabled people
Direct payments are also available for disabled people who have been assessed as needing help from social services.
If you have parental responsibility for a disabled child, direct payments that can be used for a variety of services for your child can be made to you.
How much you can get
The amount you receive will depend on the assessment your local council makes of your needs. Direct payments are made directly into your bank, building society, Post Office or National Savings account.
Effect on other benefits
Direct payments do not affect any other benefits you may be receiving.
How to apply for direct payments locally
If you already get services from your local council, ask about direct payments. If you are applying for services for the first time, your local council social services department should discuss the direct payments option with you when they assess your needs.
The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more and/or apply online.
What to do if your circumstances change
If the needs of the person you care for change - for better or for worse, in the long or short term - contact your local council as soon as possible so that they can reassess the level of payments you require.
Families
Local councils can review direct payments as children's and families' needs change over time, just as they do when families are receiving services directly from a council.
Downloadable information booklets
The Department of Health has two information booklets about direct payments. One of them is an easy read version. They can be downloaded from the Department of Health website or ordered over the telephone or online.
'A guide to receiving direct payments from your local council' (code 31006) is the name of the standard booklet.
The easy read booklet is called 'An easy guide to direct payments' (code 33291).
If you order the easy read booklet over the telephone, you can ask for a pack which includes a book, a CD-ROM and an audio tape.
To order a copy of either publication, call the Department of Health publications orderline. Please quote the code number.
Telephone: 08701 555 455
Textphone: 08700 102 870
Lines are open from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday
Additional links
Do it online
Useful contacts
Global links
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/DG_10018517
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are serious medical conditions throughout the world today.
Left untreated, AIDS is 100% fatal; however, life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs have begun to transform HIV from an inescapable death sentence into a manageable condition.
The well-documented ways in which HIV is spread are: by sexual contact with an infected person, by sharing needles and/or syringes (primarily for drug injection) with someone who is infected, or, less commonly (and now very rarely in countries where blood is screened for HIV antibodies), through transfusions of infected blood or blood clotting factors. Babies born to HIV-infected women may become infected before or during birth or through breast-feeding after birth.
One of the best places for those with HIV/AIDS to be cared for is at home, surrounded by the people who love them. Many people living with the virus can lead an active life for a very long time, and most of the time they do not need to be in a hospital. Being at home is often cheaper, more comfortable, more familiar, and gives those with HIV/AIDS more control of their life. In fact, people with AIDS-related illnesses often get better faster and with less discomfort at home with the help of a carer.
If you are caring for someone at home, remember that each person reacts to the virus in different physical and psychological ways. Regular updates from the person's doctor or nurse on what kind of care is needed can and should be sought. Many times what is needed is not medical care, but help with both coming to terms with emotional issues and the carrying out of the normal chores of life: shopping, paying bills, cleaning the house, and so on.
Caring for someone with HIV/AIDS is a serious responsibility, which can create a situation as stressful for you as for the person who is sick, so taking care of yourself as well as the person with AIDS is important (see respite care and taking care of yourself). You will have to work with the person to decide what needs to be done, how much you can do, and when additional help is needed. It may not feel like it sometimes, but rising to the challenges of caring for someone with the HIV infection and AIDS can be an emotionally rewarding experience for you both.
The links on the right will be a valuable source of information and support, as can your local carers centres, other charitable organisations and your social services; you may also like to meet people in the same situation by posting a message on our discussion boards or visiting our online chat room.
Survey of Carers in Households - 2009/10 England - Provisional Results
Resources
Summary
Survey of Carers in Households - 2009/10 England - Provisional Results presents national results on the extent and nature of caring and the number of carers in England. Previously, this research was conducted at five-yearly intervals between 1985 and 2000 as part of the General Household Survey (GHS).
Key facts
- The provisional results from the survey of carers in households indicate that in 2009/10, 12 per cent of people aged 16 or over were caring for a sick, disabled or elderly person. This equates to 5 million carers in England.
- Caring was most prevalent amongst people aged 45-64. Amongst this group 17 per cent were looking after or giving special help to someone. In comparison 7 per cent of people aged 16-34, 10 per cent of people aged 35-44 and 15 per cent of people aged 65 or over were providing care.
- 30 per cent of carers were providing care for 35 hours or more per week and 22 per cent of carers were providing care for 50 hours or more per week.
- 48 per cent of carers were providing care for someone living with them, while 58 per cent were providing care for someone living elsewhere.
- 35 per cent of carers in households were looking after or providing special help for a parent, 27 per cent were caring for their spouse or partner and 14 per cent were caring for their child. 10 per cent were caring for a friend or neighbour, 9 per cent were caring for a parent-in-law, 5 per cent were caring for a grand-parent and 9 per cent were caring for other relatives.
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/social-care/adult-s...
http://www.carers.org/
http://www.carersinformation.org.uk/
http://www.crossroads.org.uk/
http://www.hiv-aids-carers.org.uk/
http://www.nhs.uk/Carersdirect/Pages/CarersDirectHome.aspx
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/UsefulContactsByCategory/Car...
http://www.carers.org/respite-care,59,TP.html
http://www.vitalise.org.uk/Home-Page.aspx
http://www.carersuk.org/Home
http://www.careuk.com/