What is a carer?

A carer is anyone, including children and adults, who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid. 

It can be difficult for carers to see their caring role as separate from the relationship they have with the person for whom they care, whether that relationship is as a parent, child, sibling, partner, or a friend. As a result, carers can miss out on the various rights, benefits and support which may help them in their role. 

Local Information for Carers:
  • Carers' Support Bexley - Carers’ Support (Bexley) is an independent registered charity that is supported by London Borough of Bexley and Royal Borough of Greenwich. The Information and Support Service provides specialist welfare benefits advice and hands-on support to unpaid adult carers at any stage of their caring journey. They offer:

    • Expert welfare benefits advice - clear, friendly advice tailored to your situation. Help understanding eligibility for benefits like Carer’s Allowance, Attendance Allowance, DLA, PIP, Universal Credit and more.

    • Practical form-filling support - their trained volunteers often visit carers at home to assist with completing Blue badge, Freedom Pass and other benefit forms, removing stress and confusion.

    • Direct Claims Submission - as an approved alternative office, they submit benefit claims directly to the DWP, speeding up the process and including backdated payment requests.

    • AQS-accredited advice - they hold the Advice Quality Standard mark, reassessed successfully in 2025, reflecting commitment to high-quality support.

    • Carers Counselling - Professional counselling for carers is also available. This is a free service and is provided by volunteer, trainee counsellors who are supervised and supported by a fully qualified counsellor.
  • Bexley Carers Partnership - As a carer, having the right information at the right time can make a big difference to you and the person you care for. On the Bexley Carers Partnership website, you can find information and support on a range of topics, including money and benefits.
  • Bexley Mencap - Bexley Mencap offers family support, which includes advice, information and practical support on a range of subjects, such as help filling out forms, making sure that you’re receiving things that you are eligible for or just providing a listening ear and somebody to talk to. 
  • Counselling Matters Bexley - Counselling Matters offers free carers counselling, yoga sessions and a carers support group.
National Information for Carers:
  • Carers UK - Carers UK's mission is to make life better for carers. They provide information and advice on caring, help carers connect with each other, campaign with carers for lasting change, and use innovation to improve services. 
  • Contact - Contact supports families with disabled children. They offer advice and guidance, run workshops, training and campaign to tackle the inequalities that families face.
  • Gov.UK - The government website includes benefits and financial support you can get, flexible working and how to help someone with their benefit claim.
Carer's Assessments:

All parent carers in the UK have a right to ask for an assessment of their needs at any time. This can be, for example, if your needs have changed – you may wish to take up education, training or employment.

You can ask for a carer’s assessment by contacting the Bexley Care Hub.

A carer's assessment focuses on you as a parent carer. It will include things like your needs, your wellbeing, any health and safety issues, important commitments to relationships, education and employment.

You can read further information on carer's assessments and support and services from your local authority in factsheets produced by Contact.