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

An overview of carers' rights

If you're a carer, you have certain rights, including employment rights, having an assessment and receiving direct payments.

Carer's right to an assessment

Carers aged 16 or over who provide a regular and significant amount of care for someone aged 18 or over have the right to an assessment of their needs as a carer. If there is more than one carer providing regular care in your household, you are both entitled to an assessment.

Occasionally a 16 or 17 year old who cares for someone for a limited period may be entitled to an assessment. The local Trust is responsible for a young carer's well-being and ensuring the carer receives the necessary support.

If you have parental responsibility for a child with disabilities, you have the right to a carer's assessment. You don't need to be the child's parent.

Local trusts must make sure all carers know they're entitled to an assessment of their needs, and to consider a carer's outside interests - work, study or leisure - when carrying out an assessment.

Carers and direct payments

A Direct Payment is cash payment by a Trust to a carer if they assess that carer needs social services. The Trust can make a Direct Payment instead of providing services directly. Direct Payments can be made to carers aged 16 or over. There are some circumstances where direct payments are not given. The Trust can explain these circumstances. 

  • Direct payments for carers

Carers and employment rights

Working parents of children with disabilities (under the age of 18) have the right to request flexible working arrangements. You also have a statutory right to ask your employer for flexible working if you care for an adult who is a relative or lives at the same address as you.

Carers also have the right to take unpaid time off work for dependants in an emergency. Returning to work after being a carer may have an impact on any entitlements and benefits you receive as a carer. The amount of hours you do, how much you earn and your savings will be taken into consideration.

  • Carers and employment

More useful links

  • Carers Northern Ireland
  • Crossroads Caring for Carers
  • Carerstrust 
  • 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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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.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

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

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

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

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

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