Lanarkshire Carers Flexible Support Fund
Lanarkshire Carers Flexible Support Fund can support carers going through financial hardship or distress. It will improve financial security through creating a safety net that can be used to meet unanticipated expenses as well as short break opportunities.
Lanarkshire Carers Flexible Support Fund is funded by Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships, to support the most vulnerable and financially affected carers in Lanarkshire.
Lanarkshire Carers Flexible Support Fund can support carers going through financial hardship or distress. It will improve financial security through creating a safety net that can be used to meet unanticipated expenses as well as short break opportunities in the broadest sense.
There are 2 streams within this fund as detailed below:
This can be used for a range of purposes including transport costs, fuel, furniture, clothing, top-up cards for mobile phones, gas and electricity, bed linen, one-off practical costs such as repair/replacement of white goods and other things that may be exacerbating isolation and exclusion. This fund will be allocated using household income as a criteria to ensure carers in most financial need get access.
This will be offered to carers who are not currently eligible to access funding from other sources currently available, due to their personal circumstances or particular eligibility criteria. A selection of pre-paid short break opportunities will be available to individual carers such as vouchers for meals, theatre tickets, cinema passes, therapeutic and beauty treatments and other services. We will also consider other appropriate suggestions/requests for use of this funding if it meets an identified need and responds to issues highlighted through our conversations with carers that cannot be met in other ways. There will be limited restrictions on the type of short breaks that can be awarded and applicants will be encouraged to consider opportunities that can be sustained over a period of time to support their caring role.
Applications will be considered by eligible carers that are taking a short break from caring in line with local and national COVID-19 restrictions.
This fund is available to all carers currently being supported by Lanarkshire Carers (and young carer organisations in Lanarkshire). It will be offered to carers living in Lanarkshire as part of a package of support from Lanarkshire Carers.
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
- The carer is under considerable, immediate and financial distress
- Little or no immediate support is available from another sources
- The carer finds it difficult to cope and may be unable to continue their caring role(s) without support
Carers will be supported by Lanarkshire Carers and applications considered when the need has been identified through an Adult Carer Support Plan discussion. If the carer is eligible and able to access support from other sources to meet their support need, then that support may be utilised instead.
Awards will be made at the discretion of a decision making panel.
Applicants may be asked to provide proof of address, their income and/or expenditure in support of their application
Successful applicants will be required to produce proof of purchase through receipts (if applicable) and submit an evaluation form to detail how the funding has benefitted them.
How to Apply
Please contact Lanarkshire Carers on 01698 428090 / 01236 755550 to discuss your support needs further. If you are a young carer, please contact our partner organisation Action for Children on 01698 258801 (North Lanarkshire) or 01698 891385 (South Lanarkshire)
Lanarkshire Carers Centre: Hamilton
Ground Floor Left
Princes Gate
60 Castle Street
Hamilton
ML3 6BU
Monday - Friday:
9:00am to 4:30pm
Lanarkshire Carers Centre: Airdrie
Airdrie Locality Support Services
92 Hallcraig Street
Airdrie
ML6 6AW
Monday - Friday:
9:00am to 4:30pm