Help and support for carers

A carer is someone who looks after a family member, partner, or friend who needs help because of illness, disability, old age, mental health difficulties, or addiction. They would struggle to cope without this support.

Carers can be adults, children, or young people. Many carers don't see their role as separate from their relationship with the person they care for. At some point in life, most of us will take on a caring role, and it can bring different challenges.

If you're an unpaid carer, you can get free support to maintain your health, independence and wellbeing, and care safely and confidently. 
We commission a dedicated service for unpaid adult carers, young adult carers and young carers. It's called Maximising Wellbeing of Unpaid Carers and provides a range of support including:

• information, advice and guidance
• emotional and practical support
• access to financial support and advice
• peer support
• free training courses 

Since August 2023, this service has been run by Imago – a social action charity with a successful track record of delivering services and projects across London and the south-east of England.

To find out more or to get support, visit Imago’s website, call 0300 373 5769 or email ucwellbeing@imago.community.

Other useful information:

• health information: advice and services that can help you prevent or self-manage a health conditions
• mental health information: advice if you are worried about your metal health or the mental health of a loved one
• adult social care information: we have a range of information and advice services with specialist knowledge in many different areas
• cost of living support: See what support is available if you’re struggling financially
  
  

The purpose of a carer’s assessment is to find out what support you need to continue your caring role. We will complete a carer’s assessment in line with the Care Act (2014) and make sure that:

• it’s appropriate to your needs and circumstances
• you are able to participate fully in the assessment
• it considers your choices, wishes and what want to achieve
• it takes account of the level and severity of your needs

We use national eligibility criteria set out in the Care Act to decide whether we can meet your needs. We decide based on our assessment about the impact the caring role is having on your wellbeing.

What does a carer's assessment cover?

• how your caring role affects your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing
• what support you may need to continue or adjust your caring role
• whether you are able or willing to continue caring

Preparing for the assessment

• a professional will contact you to arrange an assessment at a time and place that suits you
• you can choose a face-to-face, video call, or telephone assessment
• you can bring a friend or family member for support
• if you need an interpreter or have communication needs, arrangements can be made

What happens during the assessment?

A professional will discuss:

• your support network and what help is available from family, friends or community services
• the impact of caring on your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing
• your goals - such as working, studying, volunteering or hobbies - and the support you'll need to achieve them
• emergency planning - what will happen if you suddenly cannot provide care
• any additional issues you may need help with

If you would like to request a carer’s assessment, call us on 020 8314 777 and choose option 1, or email gateway@lewisham.gov.uk.

We consider the following three conditions, as outlined in the Care Act:

1. Whether the carer’s need for support exists because they are providing necessary care for an adult.

2. Because of their caring responsibilities, whether the carer's physical or mental health is getting worse or is at risk of doing so, or the carer is unable to:

• carry out any caring responsibilities the carer has for a child
• provide care to another person who the carer provides care
• maintain a habitable home environment in the carer's home, whether or not this is also the home of the adult needing care
• manage and maintain nutrition
• develop and maintain family or other personal relationships
• engage in work, training, education or volunteering
• make use of necessary facilities or services in the local community, including recreational facilities or services
• engage in recreational activities

3. As a consequence of not being able to achieve the outcomes above, there is, or there is likely to be, a big impact on the carer's wellbeing, determining whether:

• the carer's needs impact on a least one of the areas of wellbeing in a significant way, or
• the cumulative effect of the impact on a number of the areas of wellbeing means that they have a significant impact on the carer’s overall wellbeing.

If you meet all three of the above conditions, then we can discuss with you how we can best support you.

The carer's allowance is £86.45 per week to help you look after someone with substantial caring needs. You do not have to be related to, or live with the person you care for. You must be aged over 16 and spend at least 35 hours a week caring.

The carer's allowance is taxable and can affect your other benefits.

GOV.UK has information about the eligibility criteria and a benefits calculator to see how this benefit could affect your other benefits.

Apply online for a carer's allowance.

You could get carer's credit if you are looking after someone for more than 20 hours a week.

Carer's credit is a national insurance credit that helps with gaps in your national insurance record. Your income, savings or investments will not be affected by carer’s credit.

Please visit the GOV.UK website or call the Carer's Allowance Unit:
Telephone: 0800 731 0297
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
Lines open: Monday–Thursday, 8.30am–5pm and Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm

The Care Act (2014) gives unpaid carers legal rights to support and assessments from local authorities. It ensures carers' physical, emotional and financial wellbeing is considered.

What does the Care Act (2014) cover?

Carers' Needs Assessments

Local authorities must assess a carer's needs and how their caring role affects their physical and mental health.

Impact on wellbeing

The assessment looks at whether the carer can:

• continue their caring role
• maintain a habitable home
• manage their nutrition
• develop personal relationships
• take part in work, training, education or leisure

It also looks at family considerations - ensuring young people do not take on inappropriate caring responsibilities.

Support available under the Care Act (2014)

• support plans - an agreement outlining how a carer's needs will be met
• financial assessments - most local authorities do not charge carers for support, but if they do, a financial assessment will determine what they can afford
• personal budgets - carers may receive direct payments to arrange their own support

We hold a drop-in forum for unpaid carers on the last Tuesday of every other month. This is a space where anyone cares for a relative or friend can meet other carers, tell us whether they're getting the support they need, and help influence Council decision and services that affect carers.

Join us on the last Tuesday of every other month from 1pm to 3pm at the Civic Suite, Catford or online. Join or get more information by emailing proudtocare@lewisham.gov.uk. Meetings take place in the following months:

• January
• March
• May
• July
• September (1.30-3.30pm due to room availability)
• November

The Carers Hub at Glass Mill Leisure Centre has now closed as the venue prepares for refurbishment.

New local community hubs coming soon

Lewisham Council, in partnership with Imago, is pleased to announce that new community hubs will soon be available across the borough. While we make this transition, please continue to attend your usual peer support groups and drop-in sessions, where Carers Coordinators will be available to offer advice, information and support. The new hub locations have been chosen in partnership with carers through a co-production process. By moving to neighbourhood-based venues, we will be able to provide support closer to where carers live, making it easier to access services, information and local connections.

New hub locations

No need to book – just come along.

Neighbourhood 1 – Fridays
Waldron Health Centre, Amersham Vale, London SE14 6LD. Fridays, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Neighbourhood 2 – Tuesdays
Ladywell Day Centre, 148 Dressington Ave, London SE4 1JF. Tuesdays, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Neighbourhood 3 – Wednesdays
St Luke's Church, Grove Park, BR1. Wednesdays, 9.30am to 4.30pm. 

Neighbourhood 4 – Tuesdays
Sydenham Library Community Room, 210 Sydenham Rd, London SE26 5SE. Tuesdays, 10am to 5pm.

Healthwatch Lewisham ensures that the voices of residents, carers and people with lived experiences are heard by health and adult social care decision makers. They work to improve services by collecting feedback and making sure people's experiences shape future care.

Healthwatch Lewisham:

• listens to carers' concerns and experiences to influence change
• provides independent advice and information on health and social care services
• helps carers navigate the healthcare system and access the right support
• holds events, forums and engagement sessions to amplify carers' voices
• works with local organisations and policymakers to improve care services

Get in touch:

• 020 3886 0196
• info@healthwatchlewisham.co.uk 
• www.healthwatchlewisham.co.uk 
• Healthwatch Lewisham, The Green Man, 355 Bromley Road, London SE6 2RP

Imago has been supporting communities for over 60 years and is part of Lewisham's Proud to Care family. Imago champions unpaid carers and helps create a carer-friendly culture in local schools, businesses, healthcare, and community services.

The maximising wellbeing of unpaid carers service provides personalised support to unpaid carers, helping them create an adult carer support plan tailored to their needs. If eligible, carers may also receive additional support through a statutory carers assessment.

Who can get support?

Imago offers help for:

• young carers (ages 4 to 18)
• young adult carers 18 to 25)
• adult carers (ages 18+)
• older carers (ages 65+)

What support is available?

• information, advice and guidance
• emotional and practical support
• financial support and advice
• carer assessments
• peer support groups
• free training courses

Visit Imago's Carers' Hub for free advice and support.