Registering as a carer

In the run up to publication of my new book Carers and Caring; the One Stop Guide; how to care for older relatives and friends I am sharing some of the practical solutions learned from research and experience. If you think any problems have been missed you can email me and tell me, and I’ll make sure they are covered in the next edition and online on my website at www.juneandrews.net. 

Make sure your GP knows you are a carer.

You should register with your GP as a carer, even if you love being a carer and don’t mind what it costs you in time and money. There are still advantages you can get that money could not buy. If you need to prove that you are a carer you can use a Blue Badge letter or Carer’s Allowance award letter. You are still a carer even when you don’t have these if you give unpaid care to a family member, friend or neighbour who needs support. If you don’t live in the same place as the person you care for, their local authority should assess your needs, not your own. 

Getting assessed

If you are not offered an assessment by the local authority you must ask for one. It is not only about your financial means. It is also about the amount of care you provide and how it affects your life and your health. There will also be consideration of planning for emergencies, including, in some areas, carer emergency card schemes. When help is urgently needed you might contact a family member, friend or neighbour who can cover, but it’s not always possible. Carers are asked to register and with help from a skilled worker draw up an emergency plan. The plans are held by the scheme, which provides a twenty-four-hour response service. Carers carry a card with the scheme’s telephone number and a unique ID number. Check with a local carer’s organisation to see if such a scheme operates in your area. There is more this sort of thing under E for ‘Emergency plan’.

Claim the help you can get

If you are reading this blog you probably know you are a carer, but it is surprising how many people don’t recognise that. If you don’t claim the title you are cutting yourself off from a great deal of help and support for your friend or relative.

There is much more about registering as a carer in  Carers and Caring: The One-Stop Guide: How to care for older relatives and friends - with tips for managing finances and accessing the right support  available from all good bookshops in May 2022

Three hints:

1.     Caring can be selfless, but there is no value in being invisible

2.     Make sure their GP knows you

3.     Have an emergency plan