National organisations

Carers UK Advice Line 0808 808 7777

• Carers UK Advice Line is Carers UK's free advice line for carers. It is open on Wednesday and Thursday each week between 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm. Telephone 0808 808 7777

Benefits and finances

• Carers Direct - information for disabled people and carers
  Carers Direct is a free national service offering information, advice and support for carers. www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect or call 0808 802 02 02
• Carers Allowance Unit  Telephone: 0845 608 4321. Textphone: 0845 6045312
  The Carer's Allowance Unit can send you a claim form or answer questions about your claim for carers allowance. 
• Benefit Enquiry Line Telephone 0800 88 22 00. Textphone 0800 24 33 55
  The Benefit Enquiry line deals with Carer's Allowance and benefits for disabled people.  You can call this number for a claim form and advice on how to complete it.  They can also answer questions about your claim.
• Independent Living Funds Financial support of disabled people enabling them to choose to live in the community rather than residential care.

Training programmes for carers

• Caring with Confidence An England wide programme, backed by Carers UK, that offers support and help with caring through local group training sessions. The programme will also provide self-study packs and online resources.
• St John's Ambulance offer free training on caring skills, safer handling, first aid and managing stress currently in Devon, Avon, Dorset Somerset, Jersey and Northumbria. 

Carer Organisations

• Princess Royal Trust for Carers  The national network of over 113 Carers Centres provide information, support and practical help to carers. 
• Crossroads Caring for Carers  National network of Crossroads Schemes give carers time to be themselves and have a break from their caring responsibilities.  Trained carer support workers provide practical help usually in the home.
• Carerwatch Campaign group run by carers to highlight the underfunding of the care system.
• Nationwide Carers - website dedicated to offering advice to carers of disabled adults in the UK.

Respite Organisations

• Vitalise A national charity providing short breaks (respite care) and other services for disabled people and carers.
• The Kiloran Trust  is an organisation that runs a large house in west London where carers from across the UK can go for a holiday / supportive break
• Saga Respite for Carers Trust  Charity providing breaks for carers over 50.
• Furnishing Industry Trust An occupational charity who provide one off grants, holidays and respite breaks to those who are or have been employed in the UK Furnishing Industry.

General Information and Advice Links

• Adviceguide is the CAB online service with information on benefits, employment and housing and help on debt, credit and legal issues.
• Law Centres provide a free and independent professional legal service to people who live or work in their catchment areas.
• Action for Advocacy includes an online map of advocacy services for England and Wales
• Commission for Social Care Inspection inspects and reports on social care services to help improve quality for people who use services.
• Public Guardianship Office provide help for people looking after the finances of anyone who is not mentally capable to do so on their own.
• Carers World Radio is an audio service for carers providing a 30 minute programme each month including stories and features from around the globe.

Older people

• Age Concern
• Counsel and Care 
• Help the Aged
• Independent Age helps older people on low incomes to live with dignity and peace of mind
• The Relatives & Residents Association exists for older people needing, or living in, residential care and the families and friends left behind.
• Action on Elder Abuse

Disabilities

• Alzheimer's Society The UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers
• Arthritis Care has a dedicated website for carers
• Brain Tumour UK provide practical and emotional support to brain tumour patients and their families
• British Heart Foundation
• Carers and brain tumours practical information and support for carers of people with a malignant brain tumour
• Connect, the Communication Disability Network - for people living with stroke and aphasia.
• Dementia UK  Provide Admiral Nurses and have a network for carers of people with dementia 
• Epilepsy Action
• Fibromyalgia Support Net Information for Fibromyalgia sufferers and their carers
• Headway - the brain injury association. A network of local Groups and Branches throughout the UK offers a wide range of services, including rehabilitation programmes, carer support, social reintegration, community outreach and respite care. Also offer a free, confidential helpline for brain injury survivors and carers.
• Help the Hospices : Website for carers of people with terminal illness
• Action for M.E. is the leading charity dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by M.E.
• Motor Neurone Disease Association
• MS Society
• MS Trust - a national charity offering information to anyone affected by MS - people with the condition themselves, family, friends and those professionals who work with them.
• Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
• Parkinson's Disease Society The leading charity dedicated to supporting all people with Parkinson's, their families, friends and carers.
• The PSP Association The only charity in the UK supporting patients with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, their carers, families and professionals within the health service.
• The Stroke Association 
  (The Stroke Helpline is open between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday on 0845 3033 100)
• beat is the leading UK charity for eating disorders. Their website has carer specific information and a carers' forum.

Learning disabilities

• Mencap
• Downs Syndrome
• National Autistic Society
• National Family Carer Network for families that include an adult with a learning disability.

Mental Health

• Rethink
• Supporting Carers Bettter network
• Saneline   Mental Health advice line
• MIND
• Making Space - Improving the long term welfare of those people who have mental health problems and those who care for them.
• Mental Health Foundation

Sensory Impairment

• RNID
• RNIB
• Sense

Children

• Contact a Family
• Barnado's
• National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS)
• Action for Children
  
• ADDISS :  Information and Support Service for parents, carers and sufferers of ADHD.
• Parentline Plus is a UK registered charity which offers support to anyone parenting a child.

• React help provide assistance to families with terminally ill children.

 Young carers

• The Children's Society - National Young Carers Initiative
• Princess Royal Trust for Carers young carers site

Cancer

• Cancerbackup
• Macmillan Cancer Support

Drugs and Alchohol

• Adfam. Families Drugs and Alchohol - supporting families affected by substance use

Eating disorder

• Beat Support for family and friends of people with an eating disorder

General Disability Links

• Disability Information Service.  Impartial and independent disability information to, from and across the UK
• National Centre for Independent Living  Promoting independent living; and promoting and supporting the use of direct payments to enable independent living.
• Disabled Living Foundation Provides free, impartial advice about all types of equipment for older and disabled people, from jar openers to tap turners, stairlifts to walk-in baths.
• RADAR  Advocating for, informing and supporting disabled people.
• Tourism for All UK National charity that provides holiday and travel information to older and disabled people.
• Holiday Homes for the Handicapped A charity providing holiday accommodation for disabled people.
• Disabled Access Holidays features holiday destinations that are suitable for disabled travellers in a number of different countries.
• Equipment Direct A free service providing information to improve independent living for older people and those with an impairment.
• Good Access Guide The UK's leading directory of services for disabled people.

Technology and telecare

• At Dementia user-friendly information about assistive technology for people with dementia.
• Ricability advice on products and services of value to older and disabled people.

• Telecare Services Association links to regional and local community social alarm services.

Other support

• Counselling Directory lists qualified/registered counsellors and psychotherapists throughout the UK.

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