In East Sussex alone, there are an estimated 50,000 carers. Whether it’s getting someone dressed each morning, helping with the weekly food shopping or just offering regular company and a bit of emotional support – a carer gives long-term, unpaid assistance to someone who is ill, frail or disabled.
Yet, while so many carers are doing such a fantastic job, an estimated £660 million of carers' benefits goes unclaimed each year across the country. Why? Sometimes it is for the very simple reason that people don’t equate what they do, to being ‘a carer’.
Help us to get the message out there: support for carers is available! For those not eligible for the government’s Carer’s Allowance, other practical support services exist available through East Sussex County Council’s Adult Social Care Department.
For example, Adult Social Care may be able to help a carer to get special equipment for the home, (such as a wheel chair ramp, or bed hoist.) It might even be able to arrange vital time off for the carer to relax, once his or her needs have been assessed.
All carers are legally entitled to a ‘Carer’s Assessment,’ and for many, it is the first step towards getting the support services they need.
As Cllr Bill Bentley, lead member for Adult Social Care at East Sussex County Council explains:
“We value the work of carers across East Sussex but we also need to support them. Carers should have the same chances as everyone else; they have the right to a family life, many would like the opportunity to work or pursue their own interests. Good health and financial security are equally important… Yet, in truth, being a carer can be incredibly tough. That’s why we want all carers to have a ‘carer’s assessment’ before they begin to struggle or even reach a crisis stage!”
One local carer, who wanted to remain anonymous, said:
‘The Carers Assessment provided an opportunity for me to talk about how caring impacts on my life, and to acknowledge that as a result, I had needs separate to those of my parents. As a carer I now feel valued, supported, and most important of all, listened to.’
To request a carers assessment and find out which services you may be eligible for, see our page on how to apply for adult services.
Alternatively please call Social Care Direct.
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