We regularly help people apply for grants for a range of items and short breaks. Some people feel uncomfortable applying for grants- they may feel embarrassed to ask or worry about the process. It is true that applying for a grant does require completing forms and sharing personal details about your situation but we are here to help you through to a successful outcome (we hope).  Currently our two main grant funds we can apply to are the Carer Wellbeing Fund and the Carers Trust.

The Carer Wellbeing Fund is a local grant of up to £200 and is very well accessed by carers. The idea is to make the process as easy and accessible as possible for people who already have to deal with so much in their daily lives. You need to be registered with us a carer for someone who lives in the Borough of Gateshead for us to assess your eligibility by one of our Carer Wellbeing Facilitators. I always encourage applications but some carers are reluctant- as it is all about them. What would they like to do- what would give them a break, respite, pleasure? I find carers are often so fixated on thinking of others they find it hard or impossible to think of what they would like as a treat. We sometimes share carers’ stories in our newsletter about the use of this grant and what a difference it has made for them.

We also able to apply for grants from Carers Trust – these involve supplying a bit more information but we complete the application to make it as easy as we can for carers- up to £300 for breaks, items for the home , training, driving lessons- so it can be worth applying . For example I have supported carers to apply for grants for washing machines, holidays, new beds/mattresses, items that can make a real difference.

As well as these two main grants there are a range of others, depending upon the carer’s circumstances and the eligibility criteria for the grant. An important one for parent-carers is the Family Fund- this can be applied for directly by families but we are happy to support carers to apply. There are quite a few other grants available for children and families, such as Greggs Foundation and The Sunshine Fund. Most of these require more in depth information and can only be applied for with the support of an organisation/professional working with the carer.

If carers come to us with specific needs then we will always do our best to help them identify and apply for grants related to their caring role.  

Below are links for information about the Family Fund, Greggs Foundation and The Sunshine Fund, which explain who is able to apply and how to go about doing so. For the Carer Wellbeing Fund or Carers Trust grants please contact us to be referred to a Carer Wellbeing Facilitator.
https://www.familyfund.org.uk
https://www.thesunshinefund.org
https://www.greggsfoundation.org.uk