Help With Money 

You may be able to get help to increase your income if your caring duties are affecting your finances.

Depending on your income, assets and living arrangements, you might be able to:

• apply for Carer’s Allowance and other benefits
• get help with paying for prescriptions and other healthcare costs from the NHS low income scheme
• cut down your household costs, including gas and electricity bills, TV licence and council tax
• have your contributions towards your state pension covered by the government if you've given up or cut down paid work to care for someone - Carers UK has advice to help you protect your pension
• get a grant or other financial help from a local charity or trust. Get in touch with Gateshead Carers Association to discuss grants for adult carers. Contact us here to ask for information about grants for young carers. 

You can get free and impartial help to sort out your finances if you're worried about having enough money to live on and meet your existing commitments. This could include better budgeting, learning how to make your money go further and dealing with debt problems. Citizens Advice Gateshead can help with this.

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Local and National Services Supporting Carers

 

• Alzheimer’s Society
  Alzheimer’s Society is a membership organisation, which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

• Care Network
  Care Network provides help for older, isolated and vulnerable people living in Cambridgeshire – enabling them to remain independent and maintain social contact with friends and the community.

• Carer’s AllowanceYou can now claim Carer’s Allowance online as well as contact them for claim forms and decisions made on claims.

• Carers Direct
  Carers Direct – information, advice and support for carers.

• Carers Together
  Carers Together is a mentoring project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund and delivered by TimeBank & Carers UK. It is a free online support service for carers where you can chat online, privately & securely, to a trained volunteer with caring experience.

• Carers Trust
  Carers Trust is a new charity formed by the merger of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care in April 2012. Carers Trust works to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring and unpaid carers

• Carers UK
  Carers UK is the voice of carers and the leading campaigning, policy and information organisation for carers. Carers Line 0808 808 7777.

• Carers Week
  An annual week-long event to raise the profile of Carers and the public’s awareness of them.

• Citizens Advice Bureau
  The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has a network of advice centres across the UK. They offer advice on a wide range of subjects from housing and health, to debt and consumer issues.

• Contact a Family
  Contact a Family is a UK-wide charity providing support, advice and information for families with disabled children.

• Counselling Directory
  This is a free, confidential service that will hopefully encourage those in distress to seek help. The website also contains a number of sections on emotional disorders and provides some useful statistics.

• Gov.uk
  Gov.uk provides a single point of online access to government services and information – including employment, financial support, rights, education, independent living and much more.

• Kooth
  Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people.

• The Mix
  Information and advice for under 25s on every subject, including by phone and webchat.

• Pinpoint
  An independent information, support and parental involvement network run by parents for parents.

• Power of Attorney
  Information on the different types of Power of Attorney, how to register and other advice.

• Samaritans
  Available day and night to listen and help you talk through your worries by phone, email, text, letter or face to face.

• Silver Line
  The Silver Line is free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

• VoiceAbility
  VoiceAbility, formerly Speaking Up, supports and empowers people with learning difficulties, disabilities and mental health problems to speak up for themselves. Tel: 01223 555800