A charity at the heart of our community, supporting and inspiring people to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
A charity at the heart of our community, supporting and inspiring people to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
A carer is someone who gives regular care and support to someone else and isn’t paid for it. If you’re an unpaid carer, you can have a carer’s assessment, which looks at the support you need to look after someone else.
You can have a carer’s assessment even if the person you look after doesn’t want to have their own needs assessment or isn’t eligible for help from Plymouth City Council. The person you care for needs to live in Plymouth – if they don't get in touch with the council where they live.
If you provide care and support to an adult friend or family member, you may be eligible for support, such as a personal budget to spend on the things that make caring easier; or practical support, like arranging for someone to step in when you need a short break. Or you may prefer to be put in touch with local support groups so you have people to talk to.
A carer's assessment will consider the impact the care and support you provide is having on your own wellbeing and important aspects of the rest of your life.
You can ask for a carer's assessment at any time. You should contact the council covering the area where the person you care for lives, if it is not the same as your own. If you don't want a carer's assessment but you are looking for advice and information about local support, Plymouth City Council or Caring for Carer Plymouth will be able to help you.
You can either arrange this by contacting Plymouth City Council on 01752 668000 or email customerservices@plymouth.gov.uk or by contacting Carers for Carers on 01752 201890 or email caringforcarers@improvinglivesplymouth.org.uk
A carer's assessment will look at the different ways caring affects your life and work out how you can carry on doing the things that are important to you and your family. It will cover your caring role, your feelings about caring, your physical, mental and emotional health, and how caring affects your work, leisure, education, wider family and relationships.
Your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing will be at the heart of this assessment. This means that you will be able to tell the person undertaking the assessment how caring for someone is affecting your life and what could make things better for you and the person you look after.
If you're eligible for our help we'll agree with you what support you need and how your needs will be met. You might be able to get help with housework or gardening, with transport and getting around, such as taxi fares or driving lessons and support to improve your health and wellbeing, such as a gym membership
You might also be able to get financial support such as a direct payment to spend on things to make caring easier.