Carers Grants
If you are registered with us, you can apply for a Carers Grant to pay for a break, activity, service or training to improve your health or wellbeing.
Carers In Bedfordshire
What Is A Carers Grant?
If you provide substantial care as an Unpaid Carer, a Carers Grant can enable you to take up a break, activity, service or training that will improve your health or wellbeing. As a Carer registered with us, you can apply for a grant online through our website or by post.
Our independent panel reviews each application and makes awards against grant criteria. We will send you an email or a letter after the panel has been held at the end of each month.
Helping You To Improve Your Health & Wellbeing
Helping You To Gain Qualifications To Help With Job Searching
Carers Grant Bedfordshire
What Can The Carers Grant Be Used For?
The grant can be used flexibly to help fund something that will improve your health and wellbeing, or training that will help you to gain qualifications to access the job market.
A break doesn’t have to mean a holiday – it can also mean having time away from your caring role to do something for you. This could be something like going for regular massages or going to visit family and friends.
Examples of what you can apply for:
- Day trips and activities
- Stress-relieving therapies
- A holiday break
- Equipment for the home to help with daily tasks
- Gym membership
- Training to help with improving your confidence, skills, knowledge or job prospects
The grant cannot be used for:
- Rent payments
- Council tax payments
- Mortgage payments
- Outstanding debt or fees associated with debt
- University/college accommodation costs
- Legal fees
- Fines and penalties
- Any statutory payments not covered above
- Anything that would normally be funded by health and social care
- Utility bills – gas, electricity, water, wi-fi and telephone bills
Who Are Grants For?
Unpaid Carers from age four can make one grant application in 12 months and can apply for either:
- an Individual grant: For one Carer only. There is no maximum amount you can apply for but the panel is unlikely to award more than £275.
- a Household grant: For multiple Carers, each registered with us, living at the same address, will need to apply jointly on one application. Each Carer can apply for their own items or services. There is no maximum amount you can apply for but the panel is unlikely to award more than £375.
The grant is not means-tested and does not affect your benefits. It is kindly funded by the NHS and our independent panel reviews each application and makes awards against the criteria.
By the way, if you get carers allowance, you are still an unpaid carer.
Bereavement grant for former carers – this is available to help you find your way following the death of the person you have been caring for up to one year after your bereavement.
How To Apply For A Carers Grant
Carers can apply for a grant online through our Grants Portal. This allows Carers to make and track their applications online with the ability to save their application if they need to come back and complete it at another time. If a grant is awarded, carers can upload their receipts there too.
If you would like to apply for a Carers Grant, please fill in your details for access to the Grant Portal in the form below.
Once you have access to the portal:
- Boxes marked with an * must be completed otherwise you will not be able to proceed with the application.
- Have ready the full name, job title, place of work/organisation, email address and phone number available of a professional who knows you and can confirm the grant will help your wellbeing (this is your endorser) before you start filling in the application form.
- The endorsement request will be sent automatically.
If you require any help or assistance in completing this form online then please do not hesitate to contact the grants team at: grants@carersinbeds.org.uk.
If you are unable to complete a grant form online and would prefer a paper copy posted to you then please email grants@carersinbeds.org.uk or call us on 0300 111 1919.
Please note: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we cannot guarantee everyone will be awarded a grant. Please fill out your application with as much information as possible to ensure the best possible outcome for receiving a grant.
Here is our Carers Grant Criteria.pdf you will need to look at before you apply for a grant.
Carers Grant Bedfordshire
When Is The Deadline For Applications?
4:30pm on the 15th of each month or the working day before the 15th, except for December when the deadline is the 7th.
Register With Us
By registering with us as a carer you will get access to a whole range of services, including advice, information, access to our groups, events and carers grants.
Need To Talk To Someone?
You can book a call with one of our support workers and talk to them about any of your concerns.
