As this is Carers Week we wanted to raise awareness of the large number of unpaid carers and the contribution they make to families and society as a whole. You can find out lots more on the Carers Week website.Many of those providing care for family or loved ones are unable to access full-time employment or live on a limited income.

For those giving up work to provide care, the process of accessing the right support by navigating the benefits system can be a daunting one.

There is financial help available for people with caring responsibilities through means-tested benefits like carer’s allowance, carer’s allowance supplement and young carer’s grants. Receiving these benefits can be a gateway to additional financial assistance for example cost of living payments. There are also specific grants available that provide respite breaks for carers, something we promoted in recent months.

We want to identify people who have caring responsibilities but do not see themselves as carers and help them access this much-needed support.

Our money advice team can carry out a full benefits check for people who spend a lot of time looking after someone with an illness or disability to make sure they receive all the available financial help.  Additional checks can also be carried out for the person receiving care.