Help with debt
When caring affects families, it’s all too easy for carers to face financial pressures and crisis as they are often forced to reduce hours, or give up work and face the extra costs of disability and ill-health.
Carers UK's Caring and Family Finances Inquiry showed the wide range of costs faced by families with caring responsibilities – including higher spending on typical household costs such as utilities, food and transport as well as the costs of disability-related spending, like care services, equipment, cleaning products and home adaptations.
These pressures are all the harder, given the cuts to services and benefits that many families are experiencing. For many, this can result in lasting financial hardship and debt, often made worse by delays in getting the right financial support and advice.
Facing up to debt and money issues can be a difficult process. But there is lots of free, confidential help and advice available, so there's no need to pay a debt management company to sort out your money worries. It's really important that you check entitlement to disability and carers' benefits, and your employment rights if you are in paid work and caring.
For free and confidential debt and money advice, look at the following sources of support:
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Debt Advice Foundation
- Debt Support Trust
- Money Advice Service
- National Debtline
- Payplan
- Step Change
- Civil Legal Advice (if your home is at risk)
- Community Money Advice
Scotland
If you are based in Scotland, the following organisations may be able to help:
For guidance on your employment rights, please see our Your work and career section.
For information on disability and carers' benefits, please refer to our Help with benefits section.
