Adult Services

Carers

What is a Carer?

Carers are relatives, friends or neighbours who regularly look after someone without being paid. Carers may be adults, children or young people either living with the person they care for or somewhere else.

If you are involved in giving regular help and assistance to someone in Westminster, you are entitled to a Carers assessment from Westminster Adults Services Department or Westminster Children, Young People and Family Services. This is whether or not the person you are caring for is receiving services. You may be entitled to services in your own right to assist you in your role.

We have a duty to offer you an assessment and also to take into account your outside interests when assessing your ability and willingness to continue caring. We are committed to supporting and enabling carers to continue in their caring role.

If you are assessed as needing services in your own right, you may be offered help with home care, respite care or Direct Payments to purchase your own services to assist you. These services would be to help you and they would not be to meet any assessed needs of the person you care for.

We also have a contract with an agency called Westminster Carers Service, who provide carers specifically to be with the person you are caring for for periods of time if you want or need to go out. This again is dependent on an assessment. You can approach them directly if you wish to purchase your own care, you don’t have to come through us.

How do I get an assessment?

To request an assessment of your role as carer, you should contact Westminster Adults Services Department or Westminster Children, Young People and Family Services and speak to someone covering the area and service the person you care for is in.

If you are caring for an older person you should be offered a carers assessment within 4 weeks of requesting it. If you are caring for a disabled person, you should be offered an assessment within 35 days of requesting one. You should also be invited to attend any assessment of the person you care for, to say what your views are about their needs as well as your own.

Is there a charge?

You will not be charged for an assessment of your needs.
Westminster currently operates a charging policy and you may be assessed to pay for any services you receive.
However, as a carer, there are circumstances when you will not be charged for services that are specifically to relieve you in your caring role. This should be discussed with your social care team or with the Charging Department.

Who do I contact?

You should contact the team who is covering the area where the person you care for lives.

Carers Network

Westminster City Council supports Carers Network in giving advice and support to all those in a caring role in Westminster. A worker at Carers Network can give you information, practical advice and support in your caring role. They will signpost you as to where to get appropriate services.

Carers Network Westminster
Office 8, Beethoven Centre
Third Avenue
London W10 4JL
Tel 020 8960 3033
E-mail: info@carers-network.co.uk

Westminster Carers Service
Monmouth House
9, Monmouth Road
London W2 4UT
Tel: 020 7243 2500
Fax: 020 7243 2555
E-mail: westcarers@westcarers.co.uk

Related Information

If you are caring for an older relative, you may be able to get advice from our Senior Passport telephone line. This gives information and advice to carers on social care and rehabilitation services.

You may be entitled to a Carers allowance if you are caring for someone who is receiving Attendance Allowance and you spend over 35 hours a week caring for them. There are employment and earnings rules attached and further information is available from the Department of Works and Pensions.