If you care for a person for a substantial amount of time (or you intend to provide substantial care in the near future), you have the right to ask for a separate assessment of your own needs. This assessment is to look at the help you need to enable you to carry on caring for the person.

If you are a carer you can get help and support so that you can take some time off. One of the forms of support that you can get is respite care for the person you look after. Your local council is responsible for organising this. It can arrange additional care in the home, extra visits to a day-care centre, or a temporary stay in a care home for the person you are caring for. Local councils can also issue a direct payment to the person you look after to allow them to arrange their own care while you have a break.

When you are planning a break, remember that your benefits may be affected - see Time off from caring.

England, Northern Ireland and Wales

In England, Northern Ireland and Wales, carers can directly receive their own services: for example, you may need someone to sit with the person you care for while you attend a religious service or do your shopping. Because carers can receive their own services, the local council can charge carers for services; whether they charge and how much will depend on the charging policy of your local council, but it has to be 'reasonable'. If you feel that the charge is going to cause you hardship you can put in a complaint to the local council.

Local councils now have a duty to offer carers direct payments as an alternative to these services. Direct payments are cash paid to you by your local council which allow you to arrange and pay for your own services.

For more information on direct payments and paying for services see our information sheet 'Care at Home'.

Scotland

In Scotland, the social work department uses your carer's assessment in deciding what services to provide the person you are looking after, taking into account your needs as a carer. But the social work department does not provide services (or direct payments) directly to you as a carer, only to the person you are caring for. (However, if you are caring for a disabled child you are entitled to receive direct payments to buy services for your child.)

If you would like advice on the carer's assessment, the type of services you can expect and charges for those services, you can call a free helpline for carers run by Carers UK on 0808 808 7777. If you would like further information on the community care assessment for the person you are caring for and the services they can expect, see our free advice leaflet 'Help in Your Home'.