Any carer who appears to have a need for support should be offered a carer’s assessment by the local authority.
For extra information, evidence and best practice please scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Regional offerings
Carers Charters and Toolkits for Greater Manchester
Weblinks:
Carers charter: https://www.gmhsc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Carers-Charter-FINAL.pdf
Greater Manchester working carer toolkit: https://sccdemocracy.salford.gov.uk/documents/s16450/Item%209%20-%20Appendix%20B%20-%20GM%20Working%20Carers%20Toolkit%201%20-%204%204%2019.pdf
Dementia Carers Expert Reference Group (DCERG)
Email: gmhscp.dementiaunited@nhs.net
National offerings
Age UK
Telephone: Advice line 0800 678 1602 free to call 8am - 7pm 365 days of the year
Weblink: https://www.ageuk.org.uk
Alzheimer’s Society
Telephone: National Dementia Helpline: 0300 222 1122. Open 9.00am. – 5.00pm. Monday to Friday & 10.00am. – 4.00pm. Saturday and Sunday.
Weblink: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
Carers Allowance
Telephone: contact The Carers Allowance Unit on: 0800 731 0297.
Weblink: https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance
Carers UK
Telephone: 020 7378 4999
Weblink: https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice
Dementia Carers Count
Weblink: https://dementiacarers.org.uk/
Together In Dementia Everyday (TIDE)
Weblink: https://www.tide.uk.net/
Evidence
The Care Act 2014, Part 1, Assessing needs, Section 10. Carers:
Assessment of a carer's needs for support;
- Where it appears to a local authority that a carer may have needs for support (whether currently or in the future), the authority must assess:
- whether the carer does have needs for support (or is likely to do so in the future), and
- if the carer does, what those needs are (or are likely to be in the future).
- The duty to carry out a carer's assessment applies regardless of the authority's view of:
- the level of the carer's needs for support, or
- the level of the carer's financial resources or of those of the adult needing care.
- A carer's assessment must include an assessment of:
- whether the carer is able, and is likely to continue to be able, to provide care for the adult needing care,
- whether the carer is willing, and is likely to continue to be willing, to do so,
- the impact of the carer's needs for support on the matters specified in section 1(2),
- the outcomes that the carer wishes to achieve in day-to-day life, and
- whether, and if so to what extent, the provision of support could contribute to the achievement of those outcomes.
- A local authority, in carrying out a carer's assessment, must have regard to:
- whether the carer works or wishes to do so, and
- whether the carer is participating in or wishes to participate in education, training or recreation.
- A local authority, in carrying out a carer's assessment, must involve:
- the carer, and
- any person whom the carer asks the authority to involve.
- When carrying out a carer's assessment, a local authority must also consider:
- whether, and if so to what extent, matters other than the provision of support could contribute to the achievement of the outcomes that the carer wishes to achieve in day-to-day life, and
- whether the carer would benefit from the provision of anything under section 2 or 4 or of anything which might be available in the community.
Best Practice Resources
Carers UK information your rights in work: - https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/109-help-advice/work-and-career/your-statutory-rights-in-work#:~:text=All%20employees%20have%20the%20legal,an%20emergency%20may%20also%20qualify.
Carers UK factsheet on carers assessment: - https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/practical-support/getting-care-and-support/carers-assessment
A Greater Manchester working carers toolkit: - https://www.gmhsc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/GMCSU-Working-Carers-Toolkit-PRINT-VERSION-28112018c.pdf
Caring for a person with dementia. A practical guide, Alzheimer's Society booklet: - https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets/caring-person-dementia-practical-guide