Disabled Parent Organisations

Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood International - National (UK) information service for disabled parents, their families and friends, and professionals working with disabled parents. Website www.dppi.org.uk

Supported Parenting for Mothers & Fathers with Learning Difficulties - Provides a principled approach to helping families. - Website www.supported-parenting.com

National Family & Parenting Institute - Works with the Joseph Rountree Foundation and the University of Leicester on a study of good practice in supporting disabled parents. - Tel 0207 424 3460 - Website www.nfpi.org

RNIB Parents Place - Information and support for parents of blind or partially sighted children or parents with sight problems. - Website www.rnib.org.uk/parents

Financial help

Help with caring

• Carer's Allowance
  The main benefit for people looking after a family member or friend who is ill or disabled.
• Incapacity Benefit
  For people who are unable to work because of illness or disability.
• Disability Living Allowance
  For disabled people under 65 who have difficulties with their personal care and / or mobility
• Income Support / Pension Credit
  For people on a low income who do not have to look for work e.g. carers or people aged 60
• Attendance Allowance
  For disabled people aged 65 or over who have difficulties looking after themselves
• Working Tax Credit
  To claim you should usually be over 25 and work for at least 30 hours a week.
• Child Tax Credit
  For people who look after a child under 16 (or under 19 in education).
• Help with health costs
  People on a low income or who have certain medical conditions may be able to get help with health costs
• Social Fund
  Helps people to pay for one-off costs e.g. funeral, winter fuel payments or cold weather expenses
• Help with council tax
  Carers may be able to reduce their council tax bill and / or claim Council Tax Benefit
• Housing Benefit
  Helps people on a low income to pay their rent
• Jobseeker's Allowance
  For people who are unemployed or work part-time and are expected to find full-time work.
• New benefit rates 07

• What help is available?
  Getting help with practical tasks, arranging a break from caring, adapting your home and getting the most from your GP
• How do I get help? Your guide to a carer's assessment
  The legal right to an assessment of your needs.
• Will I be charged for services?
  Social services can charge for some services
• How do I get a break from caring?
  Getting a break from caring, including care at home and residential care
• What support is there when the person I look after is coming out of hospital?
  Being involved in all decisions when the person you care for is going in and coming out of hospital
• How do I challenge decisions and make a complaint?
  Challenging decisions on replacement care, the quality of that care, charges for caring and other issues
• Cuts to services
  Jan 2007: Carers UK is getting a lot of calls to say that services are being cut. What should you do if your services are cut?
• Direct Payments Q&A
  This short article is reproduced from 'Caring' our members magazine
• Supporting carers through telecare
  Telecare is a technology-based system that can help provide peace of mind and independence for carers and the people they are caring for.

• Carers' rights at work
  Carers now have more statutory rights at work to help balance the responsibilities of caring with work.
• Seeking support in the workplace
  Should I tell work about my caring responsibilities?
• Flexible working
  The Work & Families Act 2006 gives carers new rights to request flexible working.
• Thinking of leaving work?
  What options are open to me, if I leave my job?
• Looking for work
  How do I go about returning to work?

• National organisations
  Links to organisations offering support to carers and those they care for, such as Alzheimers Society, Barnados, MacMillan Cancer Support, Age Concern and Mencap.
• Local Organisations
  Information on local carers centres and projects throughout the UK, signposting you to help in your area.
• Branches of Carers UK
  Our network of branches throughout the UK are run by carers for carers. Meet other carers, share ideas and help to improve things where you live.
• CarersLine
  CarersLine is Carers UK's free advice line for carers on 0808 808 7777
• Blogs, forums and online support
  The internet has a wealth of sites, forums and blogs where carers write about their experiences. Many carers find these sites a tremendous source of support.
• International
  There are carers organisations across the world.
• Link requests
  If you want to request that Carers UK links to your website please use this form.

'Care to take a look' includes :

• An introduction to caring by broadcaster Nicky Horne (who is also a carer)
   
• Filmed examples of carers' life stories
• How a life is changed : an interactive tool to see how episodes of caring affect a persons life
• Regional statistics - search how many carers there are where you live
• Presentations on the big issues affecting carers : money, health and employment
• Facts about carers
• Care awareness - self-awareness tool for policy makers to test their knowledge