Claire’s story: How Carer Money Matters helped her find financial support and peace of mind
Please note, the image used is stock imagery and not of the carer herself.
Carer Money Matters provides information and support to unpaid carers on ways to increase their household income. Carer Money Matters services are being delivered by Carers Trust Network Partners, which are local carer organisations, in 23 areas across England, Scotland and Wales.
The services have been designed to provide information and advice in ways that are most helpful for carers in their specific area. Each service understands the financial needs of carers and builds on partnerships with local specialist services and organisations.
I’m Claire, 52 and am raising 3 boys, one of which is my 14-year-old son Toby who has Autism, tics, and sensory problems. Toby gets bullied at school and sometimes doesn't want to go.
Toby was having suicidal thoughts, which was the worst feeling in the world. I was constantly worried about how I was going to manage, I was really depressed as I didn't know how or who to turn to. I have my own physical and mental health conditions and the stress was affecting me severely. However, I was able to put Toby into Acorns counselling every week so he could talk to someone.
Through Acorns, a local charity for children and young people, we were told about the North Tyneside Carers' Centre. At my initial assessment they told me could support me with my personal and financial situation. They put me in contact with Bernadette from Carer Money Matters. She has helped me with my finances, including supporting me to apply for Disability Living Allowance for Toby.
Bernadette also put me in touch with Home Energy Northeast for support with energy saving measures and repairs to my roof, and someone came to visit my house to see what else they could do to reduce my bills. Bernadette helped me enormously as she does ongoing checks if there are any grants I can access, and she is even helping me fill out an application for Personal Independence Payment.
Thanks to the help I received, I was also able to get on the North Tyneside Household Support Fund where I received a £400 grant towards food costs and fuel bill over the winter.
I was also put on the Priority Services Register, which gives carers like myself first priority for any grants, and it means an engineer will come out to my household as a priority should we have a power cut.
Bernadette has also told me I can apply for a grant through Carers Trust in case my washing machine or cooker breaks unexpectedly. It is a huge weight off my mind knowing that there is a financial support and it means I can focus my energy into supporting my boys and looking after my own health.
As a carer who is also disabled herself, it is difficult to balance my caring role with my own health issues such as fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and mental health conditions. Bernadette told me I would be eligible for PIP and has offered to look through my application together which is another thing that eases my mind.
Looking after a child with special needs is very hard. It can be tiring and can be frustrating, and every day you always think, am I doing it right? It's mentally and physically exhausting but knowing that there is support for people like me through my local carers centre has made all the difference for me, in fact they have been a lifeline for me.
I’d tell other carers who are maybe in a similar situation to me: Don't be afraid to ask for help like I was. You’re not alone in this and there is help out there.
Anyone who may be struggling as a carer in the North Tyneside area, please do get in touch with North Tyneside Carers' Centre
North Tyneside Carers' Centre is a specialist voluntary organisation supporting unpaid carers across the North Tyneside region. Their well-established adult and young carers service delivers a wide range of interventions. They offer Carer Money Matters services to help carers manage their finances and access the support they're entitled to.
