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  2. Benefits and money
  3. Benefits and financial support
  4. Financial support when caring for someone

Assessments for carers

If you provide a regular and significant amount of care for someone, you are entitled to a carer's assessment from your Health and Social Care Trust.

Assessing a carer's situation

There is no definition of 'regular and significant care'. A carer's assessment means social services will look at your situation and see if you are entitled to any services that could make your caring role easier for you.

Preparing for a carer's assessment

Before your assessment, it is useful to make a list or keep a diary of everything you do when looking after the person you care for. Some things to think about are:

  • do you get enough sleep
  • is your health affected by caring
  • can you leave the person you are looking after
  • are you worried about having to give up work
  • do you get enough time to yourself

You might also include how caring affects you because of your:

  • age
  • health
  • work or study (or if you are looking to work or study)
  • other activities or commitments

Your assessment

At the assessment with the social worker, you can:

  • talk about the impact your caring role has on you
  • ask about services the Trust  could provide to help you

Where the assessment takes place

The assessment is about you, the carer. You can have the assessment  at your home or the home of the person you care for.  The person you care for does not need to be present. If there is more than one carer providing regular care in your household, you are both entitled to an assessment.

  • Health and Social Care Trusts

Services that may be available

Services that may help you and the person you care for include:

  • a break from caring
  • help with housework
  • changes to equipment or adaptations to the home
  • emotional support

The assessment is about your needs as a carer. The needs of the person you are caring for should be discussed in their own needs assessment. If your situation changes, for example you need more support, you can ask for a re-assessment.

Re-assessment

To ask for a re-assessment of your needs, contact your key worker or social worker. They can arrange a suitable time for your re-assessment. 

  • Arranging health and social care 

Your care plan

Social services will develop a 'care plan' based on your care assessment and the community care assessment of the person you care for. This plan should include the support and services you have been assessed as needing.

Make sure your assessment covers what would happen in an emergency.  The health professional involved in your carer’s assessment should be able to help you plan for this.

Assessed as needing support services

Your right to an assessment and to the services and support you may receive, is not linked to your income or capital (savings, land or property).

More useful links

  • Carers Northern Ireland
  • Crossroads Caring for Carers
  • Carerstrust website
  • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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Financial support when caring for someone

  • An overview of carers' rights
  • Assessments for carers
  • Carer's Allowance
  • Carer's Credit
  • Direct payments for carers
  • Disability Living Allowance for adults
  • Disability Living Allowance for children
  • Introduction to caring
  • Leaving work to care for someone

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