Creative Breaks Time to Live

All applicants must be unpaid carers living in Lanarkshire or young carers who are being supported by a young carers organisation in Lanarkshire.

A carer provides unpaid care to a family member, partner, relative or friend who needs help to manage a long-term condition, disability, physical or mental ill health or addiction.  The fund will target those carers who are less likely to access traditional services, those who are under most stress and those in most need of a short break.

The following eligibility criteria should also be met by anyone wishing to make an application:

• The carer lives in Lanarkshire and provides regular unpaid care as above
• The carer (and/or the cared for) is able to make the necessary arrangements for the break

Due to demand and the limited nature of this fund, in addition to assessing applications against the above criteria the panel may prioritise applications where:

• The applicant has not accessed this fund in the past 24 months
• Little or no immediate support is available from another source
• The carer finds it difficult to cope and may be unable to continue in their caring roles without intervention
• The carer can demonstrate that they would otherwise find it difficult, or impossible, to take a break due to financial circumstances
• The short break opportunity is cost effective and/or can be sustained over a period of time

Applications for recently bereaved/former carers will be considered where:

• They have accessed support through Lanarkshire Carers within the last 6 months whilst in an active unpaid caring role
• Met the eligibility criteria whilst caring, but were unable to take a break due to the demands of their caring role
• If there is a clear identified need

Creative Breaks applications will be considered by a decision-making panel. Decisions will be communicated to carers and those endorsing the application shortly after panel with details of next steps

Payment for any award approved will be by BACS (other payment methods may be considered by exception only) and will take at least 28 working days from the date bank details are given to the Short Breaks Team. 
No telephone calls will be taken by the Short Breaks Team/administration team until the 28 working days after payments have been made.

The following Terms and Conditions apply to all applicants:

• A minimum of twenty-four months since any previous short break grant was received.
• Carers must be providing care in a community setting e.g., domestic home, not residential care
• Applications will be completed on behalf of a carer following a conversation with the carer.
• The panel reserves the right to ask for additional information as part of the assessment process, if required
• Creative Breaks Time to Live should be used for short breaks and other activities, but not used, to part fund family holidays abroad, i.e. outside of the United Kingdom (UK).
• Payments for the fund have to be used for the intended break proposed in your application. If you cannot use the payment for the intended break (we understand that circumstances can sometimes change for reasons out with your control), we will have a discussion around suitable alternative options for you. Prior approval is needed for this repurposed break (in line with the funding criteria) and if not, this may negatively influence your ability to access future funding through Lanarkshire Carers.
• Lanarkshire Carers will not pay retrospectively for any short break; applicants must not commit to any purchase until we have advised that your application is successful and the funding has been received in your nominated bank account.
• Lanarkshire Carers will not be held liable for any loss incurred by you as a result of making a purchase without the funding available to cover the cost.
• Shared Care Scotland and Lanarkshire Carers will, under no circumstances, be liable for any damage, injury, or loss of any kind whatsoever to any property or persons occurring as a result of activities undertaken with this grant.
• Carers must provide proof of purchase e.g., receipts or invoices to the full of the award.
• Carers should note that failure to produce receipts may have a negative impact on any future applications
• Carers agree to take part in evaluation if they are successful with an application. This involves the carer completing a short questionnaire after they use their grant to help assess the impact of the grant
• Lanarkshire Carers may use anonymised information given by carers for the purposes of reporting to Shared Care Scotland, and promotion of the fund
• Any photographs that are sent to Lanarkshire Carers as part of the evaluation process by individuals who have received grants may be used for the purposes of promoting the fund or for reporting to Shared Care Scotland
• The success and amount of any grant will be dependent upon the availability of funding
• Any equipment/ asset purchased using the grant, must never be sold to the financial gain of an individual or individual(s)
• A set maximum number of applications will be presented at each panel. If there are more applications than the panel can process, we would take on a first come first serve basis with the remainder held until the following week’s panel or an additional panel meeting arrange to cope with demands.
• Only one application per household and per cared-for person will be considered and that the main carer will usually be given priority-first refusal over an application form any other relative.
• This fund is not open to kinship carers
• It is the responsibility of the applicant to arrange any relevant travel insurance

• Carer Support Workers endorse the need for grant fund based on their conversations with carers and provide supporting information. They may be asked for further details to help with the decision, however funding is limited and the panels decision is final.

• The carer must consent to the information provided being stored by Lanarkshire Carers and shared with panel members for the purposes of decision-making, evaluation and reporting.