Some cookies are essential to make our website work. To help us improve, we'd like to set other cookies to show us how our website is being used.

View cookies.

Adult carer support

Find out what support is available for unpaid adult carers, including how to get an assessment and how to contact us.

An unpaid carer is someone who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, and would find it difficult to manage without their support.

Caring could include:

  • providing personal care
  • managing household tasks
  • meal preparation
  • managing medication
  • physical care
  • emotional support
  • managing finances
  • supporting people to organise and attend appointments

Adult carers

Adult carers are people who support a friend or family member over the age of 18 with care and support needs. Under the Care Act 2014 Westmorland and Furness Council has a duty to provide support to carer's. This includes:

  • promoting carer's wellbeing
  • preventing needs for care and support
  • providing information and advice

Carer Assessment

Within the Carer Assessment we will look at:

  • whether the carer is able, and is likely to continue to be able, to provide care for the adult needing care
  • whether the carer is willing, and is likely to continue to be willing, to do so
  • the impact of the carer’s needs on their wellbeing
  • the outcomes that the carer wishes to achieve in day-to-day life
  • what support we can provide to meet those outcomes

If as a carer you are eligible for support under the Care Act 2014, we will work with you to develop a plan to meet your eligible needs.

Support may include providing services to support to you as a carer, to the person you care for, or a combination. These could be information and advice, support groups, carer's Direct Payments, and care for the person you support.

Some of these services may have a charge, such as care for the person you support. In this instance they will be offered a financial assessment to establish their contribution. For more information see Financial Assessments.

How to get a Carer Assessment

Currently within Westmorland and Furness Council, there are carer support organisations you can contact to help you. They will do a carer assessments on our behalf and provide independent support:

Alternatively, you can receive a Carer's Assessment from the occupational therapist or social worker that provides support to your cared for.

For more information on the support they provide, or if you would like to request an assessment, please contact us: 08443 843 230


For further information on your rights as a carer see Carers UK.