Benefits and Grants

The financial crisis and the resulting recession will put many families under financial pressure.  Family carers may be in financial hardship, which will increase the pressure on them.  If you are one of these carers, you may have little choice but to seek the support of benefits and possibly grants.

For the Independent Minded

Some people are fiercely independent and like to resolove their own problems where they can.  If you are one of these you may like to consider visiting the very useful website of Turn 2 Us.  On this website there is a benefits calculator that will give you a good indication as to whether you are entitled to any benefits - that is, if you enter accurate information into it.

On the same site is information on grant making trusts.  One of these may be able to help you with a one-off grant for an essential item.

Do not forget that grants can be made from the Social Fund.  You will need to be in receipt of certain benefits to qualify for a grant.

If a carer served in the Armed Forces then there are a number of Service charities that may be able to help.  Former soldiers sailors and airmen or their spouses can request assistance from the Royal British Legion and officers of all services can do the same to the Officers' Association.  These organisations can bring together funds from a number of other charities to fund a grant as well as use their own financial resources.

Links to all these organisations can be found on the right of this page.

For Those in Need of Support

If you are a carer that prefers to have the support of a human being to help you, then you might like to consider contacting the Benefits Adviser at Andover & District Mencap, JobCentrePlus or the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Useful Links

Turn2us

Citizens Advice

Job Centre Plus

Disability Alliance

British Legion

Officers Association