Support for carers

A carer is someone who looks after another person, usually a family member or close friend affected by illness or disability.

This page contains general information and information about services which can support you in your role as a carer.

Carer health and wellbeing

When you’re caring for someone, it can be difficult to get time to take care of yourself. But looking after your own health and wellbeing will benefit you and the person you’re caring for.

Being a carer can be physically and emotionally draining, especially if you’re also working or have other people to take care of. It is sometimes difficult to balance looking after yourself with taking care of someone else. On this page you’ll find information, and links to other organisations, to help you maintain your own health and wellbeing.

There are things that you can do to look after your own health and wellbeing. There’s also support to help you cope. These may include:

  • Taking care of your health
  • Eating well and exercising
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Taking regular breaks to recharge your batteries and do something you enjoy
  • Joining a group to meet people in a similar position and share your experiences
  • Speaking to your GP if you have health problems as a result of lifting or moving the person you care for

Carers UK provides information and advice for carers looking to look after their health. Also see Live Well on NHS Choices for help with your diet, stopping smoking, getting enough exercise, and coping with stress. 

The Warrington Wellbeing Team can also provide one-to-one information and advice to help you to manage your own health and wellbeing.

5 Ways to Wellbeing for Carers

There are five steps carers can take to improve their emotional health and wellbeing. This guide provides and overview of community activities that can support good carer health and wellbeing.  Most importantly, studies have shown that activities which engage both the mind and body can improve carer quality of life e. g mindfulness and yoga classes.

1. Connect

Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can help you build a sense of belonging, give you an opportunity to share positive experiences, and build emotional support.

How to be more connected?

Connect with other carers via carer support groups,

Use technology to stay connect with family and friends, if your caring role means you have less time for meeting up.

What is in Warrington?

Carer support groups accessed via the Carer’s centre

Dementia support groups can be found on mylifewarrington dementia page within the dementia activities timetable.

Counselling support can be access via the carers centre or via the quality assured Counselling Directory - Find a Counsellor Near You (counselling-directory.org.uk)

2. Be physically active

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness, evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing.  Psychosocial interventions such as Yoga and meditation have been shown to increase carer quality of life.

How to be more physically active?

Allocate time to be active during your week by putting it in your calendar, booking time in to take care of yourself and prioritise YOUR health.

Find something you enjoy so that you look forward your physical activity.

There are lots of free ways to get active such as:

  • Free Yoga/Pilates classes on YouTube
  • Free mindfulness apps providing mediation videos e.g. Calm
  • Workplace wellbeing opportunities
  • Going for a walk using the active 10 app– invite a friend to contribute to your social time.
  • Walk/cycle to work
  • Gardening in good weather
  • Community exercise classes

What is in Warrington?

Pilates at the gateway- Improve strength and balance and enjoy some relaxation through stretching and breathing.  Pilates at the gateway £4.50 Tel 01925 246824.

Yoga – benefits of yoga include lowering your blood pressure, controlling your breathing, improving your posture, and strengthening your core. There are many yoga teachers in Warrington that can be found online and on social media.

Live Wire – offer memberships and ‘pay as you go’ classes for £5.50. This includes aerobics, boxercise, groove, indoor cycle, pilates and yoga.  Members can stream classes from their home or use the on-demand classes to exercise at a time that suits.

Park run in Warrington is every Saturday at 9am and is FREE! All you have to do is pre-register online at www.parkrun.org.uk/warrington/  (You can also volunteer to help out with the day if you don’t want to run or walk the course.)

Health walks- Live Wire offer a range of walks around the town.  lifestyles@livewirewarrington.org.uk

3. Learn new skills

It can be hard to find time for yourself outside of your caring duties but learning a new skills can improve your mental wellbeing by boosting self-confidence, having a sense of purpose, and helping you to connect with others.  It can also reduce your risk of dementia through stimulation of your brain in later life.

How to increase your learning?

  • Classes and tutors – there are often courses, classes, and tutors in your local area that will suit all budgets and some are taught online.
  • Listen to podcasts whilst on a walk or whilst driving.
  • Cook or bake a new recipe.
  • Apps – instead of scrolling social media apps you could download a language app.
  • Documentaries – watch a documentary on a new topic rather than your usual TV show.
  • Read – As well as a fiction novel, there are loads of informative books to immerse yourself in such as history, geography, or politics.
  • Hobbies- Try a new hobby with a friend such as knitting, growing vegetables, or orienteering.

What is in Warrington?

Warrington & Vale Royal College- simply call our friendly Learner Services team on 01925 494400 or email them at learner.services@wvr.ac.uk

Lifetime at the gateway offers a range of activities Tel: 01925 246824.

4. Give to others

In your caring role, you are continually giving.  The act of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by creating positive feelings and a sense of reward whilst also helping you to connect with other people.  It is however important to remember to practice self-care by making time for yourself and looking after your own physical and emotional health.

5. Mindfulness

Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. Try to be aware of the world around you, listen more intently, and be more mindful of your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

How to be more mindful?

Reading, listening to your favourite song, meditate, drawing, mindful colouring.

What is in Warrington?

Read to Relax Group with creative remedies - warrington.gov.uk

Stretch: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/yoga-with-lj/

Meditate: Mindfulness Meditation - YouTube 

Carer support networks

You may already get support through friends and family, or through services and activities in your local community. However, Warrington has a range of different services to provide help, advice and support to carers. You can contact these directly, at any time and without the need for an assessment from the Council.

Local Support

  • n-compass - local information, advice and services for young carers

National Support

  • Carers UK – National organisation providing information, advice and support for carers.
  • Carers’ Trust – A charity for, with and about carers. They work to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring.
  • NHS Carers Direct Helpline – A national helpline providing advice on entitlements, benefits and carers’ services. You can call the Carers Direct helpline on 0300 123 1053 if you need help with your caring role and want to talk to someone about what options are available to you.

Young carers

If you are under the age of 18 and providing care to a family member who has a physical illness, disability, mental health, or a problem with alcohol or drugs then you are probably a young carer.

Young carers have the right to a young carer’s assessment to see what help and support they and their family need, to choose the amount of care they receive, to be protected from excessive or inappropriate caring that impacts on their health and wellbeing, and to access information and advice.

Local Support

  • n-compass - local information, advice and services for young carers

Carer’s assessment and eligibility

If you are a carer you can ask for a carer’s assessment. This will give you the opportunity to discuss your caring role and find out if you can get help from adult social care services or any other local organisations.

The assessment will look at things like:

  • what kind of help and support the person you are caring for needs
  • what kind of things you do to care for them
  • how much time you spend caring and who else cares for the person
  • whether you live with the person you care for or not
  • your views, preferences and the amount of support you already have
  • your health and wellbeing

A member of staff from the council will ask questions to find out what help you might need to allow you to continue caring.  This can be done either together with the person you care for (a joint assessment) or on your own (a separate assessment).  The aim of the assessment is simply to help you and the person you care for.

If you would like a carer’s assessment please contact the council’s Adult Social Care First Response team.

Care Act FAQ – what are your rights as a carer?

Financial and legal information for carers

Financial information
Carer’s Allowance is the main benefit for carers. If you are looking after someone for 35 hours a week or more, and the person you care for receives certain benefits, then you may be eligible.  Find out more and apply at: www.gov.uk/carers-allowance.

There are some other benefits or financial assistance you, or the person you care for, may be entitled to – you can find these on the gov.uk website.

Care standards
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is a national organisation whose job it is to ensure that all care and support services meet acceptable and lawful standards. This is to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing, security and personal dignity of all people who receive paid care and support. All care homes, home care providers and health care providers are required to register with the CQC. They are regularly inspected and monitored to ensure that they meet national standards.

You can find out more about care standards as well as viewing the latest inspection reports of local care providers at the CQC website.

If you have concerns about care standards and quality you can report them either directly to the Adult Social Care First Response Team or to the Care Quality Commission.

Managing someone else’s affairs
There are different ways of managing someone’s affairs, for example:

  • Appointee
  • Third party mandate
  • Ordinary power of attorney
  • Lasting power of attorney
  • Court appointed deputy

Which option is appropriate depends on whether the person you are looking after can currently make their own decisions (which is called having mental capacity) or whether they are unable to make their own decisions (which is called lacking mental capacity).

Carers UK offers further information about the different ways of managing someone’s affairs.

Work and career

Juggling work and care can be very challenging, so it’s important to find out about your rights.

Your rights in work come from two sources:

  • The law gives you ‘statutory rights’ which everyone has
  • Your contract of employment gives you ‘contractual rights’ which can be more generous than statutory rights

Your statutory rights in work

  • Your right to request flexible working
  • Discrimination under the Equality Act 2010
  • Time off in emergencies
  • The right to parental leave

Find further information about your statutory rights in work on the Carers UK website here. The information on that site covers the rights that may be of interest to you as a carer. However, for information on more of your statutory rights you can view the gov.uk website.

Your contractual rights
It is always worth checking your contract of employment, staff handbook, HR policies or letter of appointment to see if you have any contractual rights on top of your statutory rights.

Getting back to work
As a carer, you may have taken a break from work due to your caring responsibilities. A number of local organisations can support you with accessing opportunities to return to work or education following a break. Take a look at our education and work information.

Respite care and short breaks

Caring for someone can be a full-time job so breaks are vital to your own wellbeing and quality of life. If you’re unable to leave your family member of friend on their own, someone else might be able to look after them.

What is a respite break?
A respite break simply means taking a temporary break from caring. There are different types of respite that you may wish to consider:

  • Asking a trusted friend or family member to look after the person you care for
  • Paying a care agency to provide support in the home. This can be privately arranged or you may ask the Council for assistance
  • Shared Lives support where the person you care for lives with another family on a temporary basis
  • Respite (short breaks) in a care home. This can be privately arranged or you may ask the Council for assistance

For further information on accessing respite care, types of respite care and paying for respite care, view our respite and short breaks page. 

Technology and equipment

Assistive technology (also known as telecare) is a range of equipment and services that support people’s safety and independence in their own home.

Carecall
The council’s personal alarm service, Carecall, can help you to live independently at home. It ensures people can get help as quickly as possible in case of an emergency. By pressing a button (worn as a pendant or on your wrist) you can trigger an alarm that will contact the Carecall control centre 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Carecall alarms can cost as little as £3.50 per week.

You can contact Carecall directly to request an alarm on 01925 458000 or by email ccontrolcentre@warrington.gov.uk.

Telecare
Telecare is a range of equipment and services that support an individual’s safety and independence in their own home. The equipment can sense risks such as smoke, floods and gas leaks, can remind a person to take pills and even call for help if they fell. You can view a range of telecare equipment at the Centre for Independent Living.  For independent advice on telecare, see the WHICH? Guide to telecare services.  

Home adaptations and equipment
There is a range of equipment available and adaptations to a home which can be made to help an individual remain in their home. These can be: small items that are widely available, such as electric tin openers and travel kettles; more specialist items such as bath seats, or perching stools; larger items such as stair lifts; minor property adaptations such as grab rails; or (for those with greatest need) major adaptations such as walk-in showers.

Disabled Facilities Grants
The person you care for may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) if they’re disabled and need to make changes to their home. Grants are means tested and therefore targeted at people on low incomes. Find out more about Disabled Facilities Grants, the application process, low cost loans, adaptations loan and relocation loans here.

Carers Digital Resources

Free access to digital resources to support unpaid carers - Jointly contract extended until March 2024

NHS England and Carers UK are giving unpaid carers free access to digital resources. The Digital Resource for Carers is an online platform that hosts resources for carers to help them build resilience in their caring role.

The resources can help to deliver on the NHS Long Term Plan Commitments to unpaid carers and include e-learning, guides and comprehensive signposting, access to MyBackUp, a simple contingency planning tool for what might happen in an emergency, and Jointly, Carers UK’s care co-ordination app.

Carers UK have published guidance for health professionals which explains how the offer works as well as ideas and tips for how to refer carers for support. This link explains to carers how Jointly works: Jointly app for carers | Carers UK .

Information and codes can be given to all carers within an ICB - be they supported by Health (primary, community, acute) / Local Authorities / VCSE organisations commissioned by the Local Authority and organisations not commissioned. The Jointly access code for Cheshire & Merseyside is DPCN9533.