Looking after someone - support for carers - Cambridgeshire County Council

Am I a carer?

It is really important to look after yourself in order to be able to support another person. Lots of people in the UK are carers, you are not alone.

A carer is someone who provides support to an adult family member or friend who could not live independently, or whose health would deteriorate, without this help.

You might not recognise yourself as a carer. Instead you are mother, father, brother, sister, daughter, son, husband, wife, partner, friend and so on. You might help them to wash, dress, eat, to get to medical appointments, or keep them company when they feel lonely or anxious.

If you are a parent carer you can find lots of useful information on our Support, advice and information for parent carers and carers - Cambridgeshire County Council page.

Help with the cost of living

Find information on support with rising cost of energy, food and transport on the Support with cost of living section of our website.

Caring Together

Caring Together works with Cambridgeshire County Council to offer a variety of support and advice that matters to you as a carer. This support continues during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and includes:

Information, advice and guidance
Remote support and virtual activities
Homecare (this is a chargeable service)
Providing caring packs including personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Carers may be eligible to benefit from a carer break, delivered by the Caring Together homecare team, at no cost to them
help with transport to an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination

Help to plan for a crisis (emergency planning)

A What if? Plan ensures that that support is available if you are unable to look after the person you care for, there is support available. Emergency support can be provided to the person you care for, in the event of you being unable to care because of a sudden illness, accident or other unplanned event. This is done by getting in touch with your nominated contacts for you, with back-up support available for up to 72 hours, if essential. The service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

Family Carer's Prescription Service

Family Carers’ Prescription Service gives carers of any age, including young carers, access to a specialist worker at Caring Together who will help you make a plan to support your needs.

Carers magazine

The Carers magazine is published quarterly. It includes news, updates, events and details of drop-in sessions for carers across Cambridgeshire.

Download the carers magazine from Caring Together website

Carers Support directory

The Caring Together Carers Support Directory combines information about organisations that can provide support to family carers. Both locally, in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and nationally.

Caring Together is also able to offer information and advice to other professionals supporting carers at this time.

Find out more at on the Caring Together website.

Telephone: 0345 241 0954

Email: hello@caringtogether.org

Making Space

Making Space offers support and advice to carers of adults (18-65) when the cared for person has mental ill health.

Find out more at the Making Space website.

Carers guide video in British Sign Language

Please watch in YouTube for more accessibility options. - opens in a new tab

Information on vaccines

If you're providing unpaid care for a family member or friend, we recognise that you might be worried about the effects of COVID-19 on both you and the person you're caring for.

We're keen to support you if you are providing unpaid care for family or friends who, due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, cannot cope without your support.

It is important to us that you get the help and support you need during these unprecedented times - for example, someone to help with your shopping or household chores, someone to talk to if things get too much, or how to manage if you or the person you're caring for develop COVID-19 symptoms. If we can help in any way, please let us know using the form below.

Free PPE for carers

PPE will continue to be provided free of charge to unpaid carers until March 2023.

Requests must now be made using the new PPE Portal. This is a website which organises PPE to be sent to an address of your choice. This includes a home address for a PA or unpaid carer.

More information on the government's PPE portal

There is an online form to get access to the PPE Portal.

Further sources of coronavirus information for carers

There is Government guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
The NHS Every Mind Matters website has tips on managing anxiety around coronavirus.
SCIE has a series of videos on caring safely for someone at home.

Search for community services and support in the Cambridgeshire Online Directory.

Advocacy means someone to speak on your behalf.

VoiceAbility offers advocacy support to adults and carers, as well as children and young people, looked after or in need. The service supports people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, autism, mental ill health, sensory impairment, social or health care needs and NHS health complaints.

VoiceAbility is commissioned by Cambridgeshire County Council and is a partnership led by VoiceAbility in association with Cambridgeshire Deaf Association and the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS).

Technology Enabled Care

Technology Enabled Care interventions can provide reassurance and peace of mind to carers. Reducing anxieties about how the person they look after is managing and ensuring that they are safe.

Carers UK online support

We’ve teamed up with Carers UK to give carers in our area access to a wide range of digital tools and essential resources that may help make their caring situation easier. This includes elearning to help you to build strategies to support your own wellbeing and the impact of stress. The wide range of topics covered include nutrition, building resilience, working and caring, and how to cope with experiencing loss.

Create an account at the Carers UK website using the free access code: DGTL3385

The Carers UK website also has general information and advice.

Which - carers and caring information

Which has information about the benefits, support and rights you have as a carer as well as guidance on caring issues, needs assessment and respite care.

Money Advice Service

The Money Advice Service has information for carers.

Children and young people who are carers have the same rights as all children and young people and should be able to learn, achieve, develop friendships and enjoy positive, healthy childhoods.

Find out more about support for young carers

This is a national initiative which encourages carers to keep a record of key information which could be useful if a vulnerable person goes missing.

Carers are asked to complete a form with information such as medication and photographs, and keep it safe in case it is needed.

Find out more and download the form at the Cambridgeshire Constabulary website .

Dementia UK has information for families looking after someone with dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Society can provide telephone support for carers of people with dementia.

It’s important to look after your own health and wellbeing when you are a carer.

You can get free one on one support from a health trainer to improve your health and wellbeing. They can help you to reduce stress, lose weight and work towards realistic, health-related goals. Find out more about Healthy You Health Trainers.

Caring Together has information on money and benefits.

You can also go to our money and benefits webpage.