Extra Help for Unpaid Carers

As part of ongoing work to help residents deal with cost-of-living challenges, Hertfordshire County Council is providing an additional £1.5m worth of support for unpaid carers. The extra money is part of the £12.3m the council has been given from government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) to provide additional help to those households most in need.

The council is working closely with Carers in Hertfordshire to administer the scheme. Around 10,000 unpaid carers, including young carers, will benefit from the voucher worth over £100, which they will be able to collect from their local Post Office. To be eligible carers must have been registered with Carers in Hertfordshire by the end of October.

This additional support is just part of a wide range of HSF-funded projects and initiatives the council is delivering locally, to help people at this difficult time. These include:

• The Community Navigator out of hospital support scheme which offers two weeks of wrap around support for people without help to return home following a stay in hospital, providing food packs from Hertfordshire Independent Living Service and ensuring they return to a safe environment.
• Our Warm Spaces initiative, with over 100 community venues offering a warm welcome to Hertfordshire residents.
• Ongoing support for local community, charity and voluntary groups like Citizens Advice, where extra money has meant longer opening hours and additional staff to provide more advice and support.

Cllr Tony Kingsbury, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Wellbeing at Hertfordshire County Council, said: ‘We know the vital role carers play in Hertfordshire and the huge contribution they make to our communities. We also understand the additional financial pressures they are facing at the current time, which is why we have prioritised this scheme.

‘Our commitment to ensuring that we are here for residents when they need us, alongside supporting those most in need is as strong as ever.’

Michèle Stokes, Chief Executive of Carers in Hertfordshire, said: ‘We are aware that many carers are finding times tough at the moment financially. Our 2022 Carers’ Survey revealed that 60% of carers said they were struggling with making ends meet or worried about their finances.

‘We hope this financial boost for thousands of carers will go some way to making life a little better this winter, but remind all unpaid family and friend carers in Hertfordshire that we are here to support you. We are committed to ensuring anyone looking after a relative or someone close to them who needs help is identified, informed, supported and heard.’

The council has dedicated advice and support for those who need it. Get in touch with HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044 to find out what support is there for you. For more information, visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/costofliving.