Are you a carer?

The term 'carer' is used to describe anyone who looks after someone or feels responsible for someone who cannot manage at home without some support.

A carer spends a significant proportion of their life providing unpaid support to family or friends. This may be because of illness, disability, mental health needs or learning difficulties.

The council works in partnership with other local organisations to make sure that carers receive the support they require. This could be:

• Advice and advocacy to support carers on issues such as benefits
• Adaptations and equipment in the home
• Community alarm systems to raise an alert in an emergency
• Financial assistance to help carers take a break
• Help to find carers' support groups
• Emergency Planning advice
• Respite care
• Help to access transport grants.

This support can help you to continue with you caring responsibilities, maintain you own health and well-being or help you when you can no longer care.

How can carers get support?

To find out what information, advice and support may be available to help you maintain your caring role you can either speak to the social worker or professional who supports the person you care for or you can contact Southwark Carers

You can also receive an assessment of your own needs through a carers' assessment. This is an opportunity for you to express your feelings and needs as a carer. If you feel that you, as a carer, require extra support you may also be eligible to receive a personal budget and adult social care services.

• Find out how to get a carers' assessment

Usually the person you care for will be having, or will have had, an assessment of their needs. This is called an outcome based assessment

If the person you care for is assessed as eligible for council funded support, they will receive a personal budget. This can be used to buy appropriate support and services, whcih will often help to support both of you by providing some of the care you have been giving.