Website of the UK government

Day-to-day support services could allow you to go to work or take a break during the day. They could also help you when the person you care for needs specialist care or a substantial amount of looking after.

Although you access their services through your local authority, social services may work with other agencies to provide different types of support. For example, charities and private sector organisations.

This can include:

Day care centres

Many parts of the country have day care centres. They will benefit both you as a carer and the person you care for by giving you both a break. Day centres provide a range of care services for people with different disabilities.

The needs assessment of the person you care for may state that visits to a day centre are part of their support. In this case, your local authority must make sure this happens.

Find out about local day centres

The following link will let you enter details of where you live. It will take you to your local authority website where you can find out more about day centres in your local area.

• Find out about day centres locally Opens new window

Help at home

There are many ways you can receive help at home for the person you care for. Home care workers who provide this support have differing roles too.

Care assistants carry out tasks like cleaning, shopping and preparing meals.

Domiciliary care workers provide 'personal care', for example helping someone go to the toilet or get washed and dressed.

You may be able to choose to employ people to help with care at home on your own. You should seek advice from your local authority or local support organisations. 

Care homes and care homes with nursing

Care homes are for people who can no longer cope at home and need support with their personal care. Some can offer short-term stays to the person you care for, to let you have a break. Often they are for more long-term or permanent care.

Care homes with nursing offer support for people whose illness or disability means that they need nursing care on a regular basis.

Care homes can be run by your local authority, private companies and voluntary organisations.

• Care homes

Find out about local advice and support for adult carers

Your local authority is the first place to turn for support and advice about caring for someone. The following link will let you enter details of where you live. It will then take you to your local authority website, where you can find out more.

• Find out about advice and support for adult carers locally Opens new window

Useful contacts

• Organisations and charities for carers