Looking after someone 2017, England | Page 27

Budgeting Loan Help from your local authority If you are getting certain benefits you may be able to get a Budgeting Loan to help pay for essential things like rent, furniture, clothes or hire purchase debts. Your local authority may have a welfare assistance scheme to help people in a crisis and/or those who cannot afford to buy household goods like fridges, freezers, beds etc. The smallest amount you can borrow is £100. Budgeting Loans are interest-free so you only pay back what you borrow. You normally have to repay the loan within 104 weeks. You should get in touch with your local authority to see what help they can offer. Find out more at gov.uk/budgeting-loans The Child Poverty Action Group has a website that can link to your local scheme, visit www.cpag.org.uk/lwas Grants There are sometimes grants that you may be able to apply for. You can ask a local advice centre if there are any local grants. Turn 2 Us is a charity which has a grants search tool. Find out more at turn2us.org.uk Norman’s story Giving up work to care for his wife Ros plunged Norman into serious financial trouble. A call to the Carers UK Adviceline changed everything. Photo: BBC Looking after someone My call to the Carers UK Adviceline was the first time I felt someone was listening to me as a carer. I spoke to an Adviser who talked to me about my situation and let me know what help I was entitled to, and what my options were. I just wish I had this information when I first started caring for Ros. I’m sure our life would have been quite different. carersuk.org 27