Who is a carer?
A carer looks after a relative, friend or child who needs support to live at home due to a physical or mental disability or illness or due to being elderly or frail. A carer is not a paid care worker.
If you care for someone, you may be providing practical help such as shopping, cooking or collecting prescriptions or heavy physical tasks such as bathing, dressing and lifting the person in need of care. You may be involved in giving emotional support and in keeping a close eye on the person you care for.
Caring for someone can be demanding and there is a range of help available to support you in your caring role.
Download the information guide 'Are you carer?'. Alternatively, you can call 020 8314 3863 to order a copy of this guide.
What we can do
If you are a carer, we can:
- Offer an assessment of need to the person you look after. The person you look after may be eligible for direct payments to organise their own services, or we can arrange these services for you. A leaflet describing direct payments can be downloaded.
- Offer you a carers assessment of need if you provide regular and substantial care. This looks at your own needs including staying in or accessing employment, training and leisure. The assessment can lead to services to support you such as housework or a short break from caring. You may be eligible for direct payments to organise your own services. Your needs are also taken into consideration when arranging care for the person you look after.
- Offer advice and information about benefits, helpful local resources and organisations, activities and care at home to give you a break.
- Put you in touch with other carers through carers groups organised by Carers Lewisham and other local organisations.
- An out of hours service is available from Lewisham Council on 020 8314 6000.
Carers Lewisham
Carers Lewisham is a local organisation which offers support to carers. Support includes advice, information, carers groups, short breaks, help with benefits, counselling and training. For an information pack or other support contact Lewisham Carers Centre whose contact details are below.
Lewisham Leaflet for relatives and friends of people with mental health problems
This leaflet is available from Lewisham Mental Health Services on 020 8297 0707 ext 203. This includes details of a carers support group held in the Ladywell Unit, Lewisham Hospital, on the first Thursday on each month from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm.
Financial benefits
You and the person you care for may be entitled to financial benefits, some of which are not means tested. Below are some of the places you can get help. It is important to get advice as the benefits system is complex.
- National Benefits Free Line 0800 882200
- Lewisham Disability Coalition – for local help including form filling contact 020 8314 1414
- Evelyn 190 centre – for local help including form filling 020 8691 7180
- Carers Lewisham – for local help including form filling 020 8699 8686.
National links
Follow the links in 'useful websites'.
Who is eligible?
Provision of different services depends on the needs of the person you care for and on your own needs. Anyone who provides regular and substantial unpaid help to someone who is frail, disabled, mentally or physically ill is eligible for their own carer assessment of need from Lewisham Social Care and Health. You do not have to live in the same house or be related to the person you look after. You are eligible for your own assessment of need even if the person you care for has refused an assessment or services themselves.
How to access the service
Once you have made contact with us – or any of the organisations or people listed here – you will be given a more detailed picture of the help available to suit your individual needs.