October 31, 2017

 

New council fund to support the borough’s unpaid carers

 

Residents who act as a carer for a loved one can now access a special fund set up to help them enjoy a reasonable quality of life themselves, including a break from their unpaid caring role.

 

Cheshire East Council, in partnership with NHS Eastern Cheshire and NHS South Cheshire clinical commissioning groups, is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the many people with caring responsibilities.

 

Some can be very young children caring for a parent or sibling in need of additional support, or a spouse caring for their partner. Those cared for may have mental health needs, elderly care needs or physical health and mobility needs.

 

The new Carers’ Living Well Fund will be launched on Wednesday, November 1, and will be available until March 31, 2018.  It will enable people who care for others to access financial help for a range of activities, including a break from their caring role to improve their health and wellbeing.

 

There will be exclusions for a number of activities and more personal financial commitments or where social care or health service funding applies.

 

Councillor Liz Wardlaw, cabinet member for health, said: “Many of us will become carers within our families over our lifetime, perhaps caring for our parents or our spouse. There are many young carers who think nothing of looking after a parent or sibling as part of their family life.

 

“These unpaid carers – often referred to as hidden carers – can spend up to 20 hours a week looking after a loved one, sometimes with personal care, shopping, dressing and household chores.

 

“The Carers’ Living Well Fund is about helping carers to enjoy a good ‘work and home life balance’, avoiding the risk of jeopardising their own health and wellbeing. Supporting carers to enable them to meet their own needs is a key focus for health and social care partners, including Cheshire East Council.

 

“Often their support goes unpaid and, without help and support for themselves, they can feel a sense of isolation – that life can be a struggle with physical and emotional demands.”

 

A grant from the Carers’ Living Well Fund is a one-off payment, limited to one payment per household, where the eligibility criteria have been met. It can be made at two levels – £250 or £500.

click here for more information and a referral form

Carers Living Well Fund Criteria for funding 2017-11-24 – Copy

Carers Referral Form V3 CURRENT 2017-11-15

Families and organisations working with carers – hidden carers especially – are asked to identify them and signpost them towards the financial and help services available to them. This includes carers who have never accessed statutory or voluntary support, in particular carers who are new to their caring role.

 

As well as agreeing to an informal review, carers will need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

 

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