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  4. Caring and support services

Caring for someone who is nearing the end of life

You and the person you care for could get financial, practical and emotional support. This could include entitlement to disability or employment allowances.

Financial support

You or the person you care for may be entitled to some financial support.

There are certain allowances paid to people with disabilities. The person you care for may be entitled to:

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP), if they are under State Pension age and need help with personal care or getting around
  • Attendance Allowance, if they are State Pension age or over and need help with personal care
  • Employment and Support Allowance, if they are under state pension age and have an illness or disability which affects their ability to work

When the person you care for is nearing the end of life and their doctor or medical professional advises they might have less than 12 months to live, they may:

  • get benefits at a higher rate or get extra money
  • start getting payments quicker than usual

This is sometimes called ‘special rules for end of life’. Information on how to apply is detailed for each benefit using the links below:

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Employment and Support Allowance

Carer's Allowance

As a carer, you may be entitled to Carer's Allowance.

You can continue getting this for:

  • up to 12 weeks if the person you care for goes into hospital
  • up to four weeks if they go into a care home (provided certain conditions are met)

If the person you care for dies, Carer's Allowance usually stops after eight weeks.

  • Carer's Allowance

Practical support

There is support available from different organisations for carers. It's important that you have enough practical and emotional support in your caring role.

Support from social services

The social services department of your local Health and Social Care Trust may provide social care services and equipment to people nearing the end of life.

Assessments from the Trust

An assessment with social services is the first step to getting help and support for yourself and the person you care for.

The person you care for is entitled to a health and social care assessment. As a carer, you are entitled to a carer's assessment.

  • Arranging health and social care
  • Assessments for carers  
  • Health and Social Care Trusts

Emotional support

Although friends and family can provide emotional support at this difficult time, you may find it easier to talk to a professional counsellor or other carers in a similar position.

The person you're caring for and other family members may also benefit from counselling.

Support groups for carers

There may be support groups for carers in your local area. This could give you the opportunity to talk to other people in the same situation as yourself.

  • Contact with other carers

Help with caring for someone at home

There are different options to help you care for someone at home.

Medical and nursing care

If the person you care for needs specialist medical or nursing care so they can continue living at home, you can arrange this through their GP.  

Services that may be available include:

  • visits from a district or community nurse to change dressings, give injections or help with bathing or toileting
  • help getting the person in and out of bed

Services available can vary between trusts. 

  • Who's who in health services

Short-term breaks

Both you and the person you care for may benefit if you can take a short-term break from caring occasionally. This is known as "respite care".

You can arrange short-term breaks through your local Trust.

  • Time out from caring

Employing a professional carer

If you're caring for someone who needs a lot of care, you could employ a professional carer or carers to share the caring role with you.

  • Arranging health and social care

Alternatives to caring for someone at home

Hospice care

Hospices are residential units that provide care for people who are nearing the end of life and offer support to those who care for them.

Hospices specialise in palliative care, which aims to make the end of a person's life as comfortable as possible and to relieve their symptoms when a cure is not possible.

Hospices have doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors and trained volunteers.

Many hospices offer bereavement counselling.

Hospice staff can visit people at home and are often on call 24 hours a day.

It is also possible for patients to receive daycare at the hospice without moving in, or to stay for a short period to give their carers a break.

There is no charge for hospice care. The person you care for must be referred to a hospice through their GP, hospital doctor or district nurse.

In Northern Ireland, hospice care is provided by:

  • NI Hospice
  • Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast
  • Foyle Hospice
  • Southern Area Hospice Service

Hospital care

There might be times when a person nearing the end of life needs to go into hospital.

If the person you care for is coming home after a hospital stay, your local Trust will meet any continuing health and social care needs.

The person's needs should be assessed before they return home and a care package arranged for them.

  • Hospitals and people with disabilities

Care homes

If the person you care for needs care and support they cannot get in their own home, they might need care in a residential or nursing home. 

  • Residential care and nursing homes

Helping the person you care for prepare for death

It's natural for someone who is nearing the end of life to want to sort out their affairs.  Information about making a will is available at:

  • Death and bereavement

When the person you care for dies

There are things to consider if you care for a person nearing the end of life.

What to do after a death

When someone dies, you will need to do certain things immediately, or within the first few days and weeks.

  • Who to tell about a death

Bereavement counselling

When someone close to you dies, you may benefit from specialist bereavement counselling. The charity Cruse Bereavement Care can advise you about seeing a counsellor.

  • Cruse Bereavement Care

Benefits and bereavement

If the person you care for dies, Carer's Allowance will usually stop after eight weeks.

If your spouse or civil partner dies, you may be able to claim one or more of the following bereavement benefits:

  • Bereavement Payment: a single tax-free amount for people who are under State Pension age when their spouse or civil partner dies
  • Widowed Parent's Allowance for people who have dependent children
  • Bereavement Allowance for people aged 45 and over when their spouse or civil partner dies
  • Bereavement

More useful links

  • Carers Northern Ireland
  • Crossroads Caring for Carers
  • Managing your affairs and enduring power of attorney
  • Carerstrust website
  • Carers Trust
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Caring and support services

  • Arranging health and social care
  • Assessments for carers
  • Caring for someone who is nearing the end of life
  • Contact with other carers
  • Employing a professional carer or personal assistant
  • Shared Lives scheme for Northern Ireland
  • Support services for carers
  • Young carers

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Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

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