How can I get support with my finances?
Many people find it very challenging to manage the costs involved with caring. On our website, we have a whole section dedicated to offering support in this area: Financial support | Carers UK.
Your bank or building society will also have a specialist team who can help, so it is worth contacting them for guidance if you are feeling overwhelmed. Our advisers are also always on hand to help and direct you to the right sources of support: [email protected]
If you are paying back a Carer's Allowance overpayment and you require support with a repayment plan or the current plan is causing you financial difficulty, you can call DWP's debt management service to see what options are available: 0800 916 0647
DWP's Debt Management Service can help you look at what you can afford to pay back in a way that is manageable for you and your circumstances.
Telephone: 0800 916 0647
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 916 0647
Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users - check you can use the service
Calling from abroad: +44 (0)161 904 1233
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7:30pm
Find out about call charges
In Northern Ireland
If you live in Northern Ireland, you can receive support through the Debt Management Northern Ireland service: Debt Management Northern Ireland | nidirect
Follow the above link to find alternative British or Irish Sign Language options.
There is also a form you can complete online if you would prefer. See the Debt Management online contact form
If you've experienced an overpayment in the past, it doesn’t mean that you are not currently entitled to claim Carer's Allowance.
If your Carer's Allowance has been suspended, you can ask for it to restart or if the claim was closed, you can make a further Carer's Allowance claim (if you are still entitled).
We can help you work out if you are eligible - see our online pages and you can contact an adviser at [email protected]. There may be other forms of financial support you could apply for which they can tell you about.
We also have a list of free and confidential money advice services on our website here that can help you get on top of things.
1/ Make sure that you are going to the right providers of guidance and advice. See our suggestions above 'Seeking further guidance'. Online, there are more and more agencies that purport to offer 'advice' which often isn't reliable.
2/ Sometimes scammers will look to impersonate genuine companies and organisations like HMRC and banks through their communications. Be aware of unsolicited prompts that appear to come 'out of the blue' asking you for personal information and financial details. These should ring alarm bells. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has introduced a firms checker to help - read more on this page: Protect yourself from scams | FCA
3/ We have guidance on ways to keep safe on our website, Keeping safe from scams | Carers UK and the FCA tips (see link above at the end of 2/) are a very helpful reference point.
