Carers UK information and support
For information and signposting, our telephone Helpline is available on 0808 808 7777 from Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm (including Bank Holidays).
If you have a more complex query or would like more detailed guidance, we suggest you contact our email Helpline (advice@carersuk.org), as we’ll be able to provide more information.
You can also find out about our online support sessions here: Online meetups | Carers UK
If you have a general enquiry, please email info@carersuk.org
If you need somebody to talk to or a listening ear, Samaritans is also available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 116 123 or you can email jo@samaritans.org
Thank you so much - knowing this service exists during such a stressful time is phenomenal."
Christmas hours
Our telephone helpline will continue to be available throughout the festive period, and will be open Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm (including Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day). The number is 0808 808 7777 and is free to call from landlines and mobiles.
Our email Helpline service will be operating a reduced service during the Christmas period and will be closed from 5pm on 20th December and will reopen on 2nd January.
About our Helpline
We provide information and guidance to unpaid carers. This covers a range of subjects including:
- benefits and financial support
- your rights as a carer in the workplace
- carers' assessments and how to get support in your caring role
- services available to carers and the people you care for
- how to complain effectively and challenge decisions.
If you feel you need help in these areas, or want to ask a question that might be helpful to you with your caring, please get in touch. We’re not always able to provide the same level of specialist information and support by telephone as we can by email, so if we’re unable to help you in this way over the phone, we will tell you about other ways to get this support including guiding you towards other services and organisations that can offer support.
Please note, we’re often confused with the Carer’s Allowance Unit of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), who administer and pay Carer’s Allowance. We can help answer questions about Carer’s Allowance. However, because we are in no way linked to the DWP, we cannot update any details/circumstances that relate to your personal Carer’s Allowance claim or access your benefit claim file to see if your benefit has been paid.
Support in your area
You can find details of your local carers' organisation on our website. Local carers' organisations will have detailed information on the help and support available where you live, such as how to access carers' assessments, emergency card schemes and local respite services.
Other organisations that may be able to help
AccessAva
We have teamed up with Access Social Care to offer specialist support about social care in England.
The online solution called AccessAva helps you find out about the rights you have and the rights of anyone you're caring for.
Age UK
A charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life www.ageuk.org.uk
Call 0800 055 6112 (England), 0800 022 3444 (Wales), 0800 124 4222 (Scotland), 0808 808 7575 (Northern Ireland).
Citizens Advice
Provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice in England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Contact
A national charity that supports the families of children with additional needs in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland www.contact.org.uk
Call 0808 808 3555 or email helpline@contact.org.uk
Our online forum
The Carers UK Forum is our online community of carers and is available to Carers UK members 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A few words from a fellow carer who understands what you’re going through can be a lifeline. So whether you need to share an experience, ask a question or simply let off some steam, log in and join the conversation.
If you're not a Carers UK member you can join now for free. We ask for a donation to support our work, but if you're not able to, that's absolutely fine – we're here for all carers who need us. Once you've joined details of how to log into the Carers UK Forum will be automatically emailed to you.
Need urgent support?
There are other organisations that can help you get the support you need out of hours.
- Call the NHS 111 service if you are feeling unwell and need a telephone health assessment – just dial 111. You can also call this number if you need mental health support (select the mental health option).
- Samaritans are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – you can call free anytime, from any phone on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
- Social services: If your normal office is closed and you need urgent help, you will need to contact the emergency duty team. An easy way to search online is to search for "emergency duty team" and the name of your local council.
- In Northern Ireland emergency social work contacts can be found by going to www.hscni.net and finding your own local Health and Social Care Trust website.
We are a member of the Helplines Partnership. The Helplines Partnership is the membership body for organisations that provide information, support or advice via phone, email, text or online.
Latest updates
Over 40 MPs and Peers show their support for unpaid carers facing financial difficulties at event in Parliament
Carers UK response to the National Audit Office report on Carer’s Allowance overpayments
Carers UK response to the Government’s announcement of the independent review of Carer’s Allowance overpayments terms of reference
National Carer Organisation’s Statement on the Scottish Budget
Unpaid carers and local carer organisations are experiencing significant challenges, with the rising cost of living, funding pressures and many…
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