This section contains information on the rights of carers and some of the financial help available to them. Below you will find a summary of some of these issues. If you would like more information, click on the appropriate links on the left-hand side of the page.

There are some specific rights that relate to carers including:

• Employment rights
• The right to an assessment
• Receiving direct payments

As a carer there are some services you receive that you may have to pay for. You will not be charged for the services provided to the person you care for.

It’s important to remember that the amount of assistance you may be able to get to help you with your caring role does not depend on the amount you can afford.

Your needs will be looked at in a needs assessment and then social services will work out what you can afford from a financial assessment. (This will be done soon after or at the same time as the needs assessment. However very few councils do both assessments at the same time.)

You can choose not to have a financial assessment but then you will have to pay the full amount for all the care.

Your council will complete a financial assessment to work out how much you can afford to pay towards community care. This will be based on your income and your capital. Your income is all the money you have coming in each week. Examples of income include:

• Interest from savings
• A private pension
• Your state pension
• Benefits, which can include Carers Allowance at the council’s discretion
• Salary/wages if you are working

Your capital can include land and buildings (but not the value of the home you live in) and savings.

You should make sure that you are claiming all the benefits that you are entitled to as your contribution will probably be worked out as if you are getting them. For more information talk to the social worker who works with you or the person that carried out the needs/financial assessment.

There are a number of services that you might be charged for and these include:

• Home help
• Sitting services
• Meals

You can’t be charged for

• Help and advice, for example filling in forms (including Disability Living Allowance)
• Advice and equipment from the council’s occupational therapists
• Transport for going to day centres

What you are, or are not, charged for is based on the government’s Fairer Charging Policy. This means that you can’t be charged for services if you will be left with less than basic income support levels or the Guarantee Credit of Pension Credit, plus 25 per cent.

Some social services departments have a ‘pay as you go’ scheme. This is best used when your needs change each month. You will be sent a card that you can ‘charge’ (put money onto ) by visiting the post office. You will be given this card and a leaflet describing how to use it.

Other social services departments allow you to pay by monthly direct debit. This is used when the same amount of care is used regularly. If your circumstances or needs change, contact your social services and they will adjust the amount you pay.