Support for family/informal carers in Coventry
Carers Trust Heart of England
Carers Trust is a national charity that supports people who are unpaid carers. This is the local branch that support people in Coventry and Warwickshire. They offer things like:
- information on accessing local health and social care services
- assistive technology
- signposting to information about money and benefits
- signposting to national and local organisations for specific help
- Carers Assessments
- emergency planning
- peer support/carers groups
And much more
024 76632972
contactus@carerstrusthofe.org.uk
Carers Assessments
It is a legal requirement that all councils in England offer carers a Carers Assessment if they want one. The assessment looks at what your caring role involves and how it affects your wellbeing.
You can find out more about Carers Assessments, including how to request one, on the Coventry City Council website
Carers E-bulletin
The Council produce an e-bulletin with local information relevant to carers on a regular basis. You can sign up on their website.
Care Companion
Care Companion is a new online resource for Coventry and Warwickshire carers that has been developed locally to support those who care for their loved ones. It's free and simple to use.
Carer's Allowance
This is a financial benefit some carers are entitled to receive. To find out more, and see whether you are eligible, visit the GOV.UK website.
What do unpaid carers do?
Unpaid carers may:
- Help someone with practical things, like doing their shopping, getting dressed, or taking medication.
- Provide emotional support and comfort.
- Help someone to do social activities, like meet a friend or go to a football match.
- Speak up for their loved ones if they can't do this themselves.
It’s estimated 10-15% of Coventry’s population are unpaid carers – that could mean there are as many as 55,000 carers living in the city.
Carers come from all walks of life and lots of people who provide care don’t see themselves as ‘carers’ - they see their caring role as ‘just something they do’ for the people they love.
Carers are more likely to feel lonely1, have long-term health issues themselves and are less well off financially.2
References
1 Carers UK: Facts About Carers 2019
2 Carers UK: Getting Carers Connected 2019
Carers experiences
We've been listening to the experiences of family or unpaid carers living in Coventry. To mark Carers Week 2021 (7-13 June), we're highlighting some of the issues carers have faced during the Coronavirus pandemic.
