Support for carers
Support for you as a carer
The law says that a carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who cannot cope without their support. This may be due to illness, disability, addiction or a mental health problem.
Are you a carer under the age of 18? Go to our Young carers page.
The person you care for could be:
- your spouse or partner
- a family member
- a friend or neighbour
Why we offer help to carers
We recognise that providing care to someone can be very difficult and can have an impact on your own physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. We also recognise the value that carers bring to our community and to society as a whole.
There is support available to carers to help you to continue to support those close to you. This includes with accessing information and understanding your rights as a carer as well as with connecting you with other carers and services in Derby.
What help could I get?
Citizens Advice Mid Mercia are the contracted provider for the Universal Services for Carers support service in Derby, they support adult unpaid carers, caring for someone living in Derby.
Universal Services for Carers can offer support, information and signposting to let you know about the help that may be available to you. Advisors will have a conversation with you to best understand what is happening in your caring role and how it is impacting your health and well-being. They will then connect you to resources and support that can help you to continue in your caring role independently.
You can register online with Universal Services for Carers:
You can also contact them by:
- telephone on 01332 228777
- email at carers@citizensadvicemidmercia.org.uk.
The carer's assessment
If Universal Services for Carers cannot offer or help you to acess informal support to meet your needs, they can refer you to adult social care for an assessment.
You must be supporting a person who is 18+ and lives in Derby to have the assessment.
The carer assessment looks at:
- your wellbeing needs
- what you want to achieve day-to-day
- if you want to work
- your education, training or recreation needs
- how the person you care for is supported in an emergency
- whether your support needs can be met within the community (if not, consideration may be given to a carer's personal budget).
If Universal Services for Carers refer you to adult social care for a formal carer's assessment, it could take up to 3 months for a social care worker to contact you.
If you feel you or the person you support needs more urgent support, please telephone Derby Direct on 01332 640777.