Many families in London have been carrying someone they love for months, sometimes years, before they discover that the council was supposed to help. Not with a pamphlet and a phone number. With actual funding. Short break schemes, respite vouchers, carer's allowances that unlock additional support, direct payments that can pay for a few hours of cover each week so you can breathe. They find out at the kitchen table, from a friend who mentioned it in passing, or from a social worker who finally says the right sentence at the right time. And the thing they say most often, once they know, is some version of: "I did not know I could ask for this. Nobody told me."

If that is where you are right now, this article is the sentence nobody said.

What the Care Act 2014 actually gives you the right to ask for

Under the Care Act 2014, every local authority in England has a legal duty to carry out a carer's assessment for anyone who provides or intends to provide care for another adult, if it appears that the carer may have needs for support. You do not have to be struggling visibly. You do not have to be in crisis. You just have to be a carer and ask.

The carer's assessment is separate from any assessment your parent or loved one receives. It is about you: your health, your work, your sleep, what you have had to give up, and what would help you keep going. According to gov.uk, the council must carry one out if you ask. You are not making a fuss. You are using a right.

What can come out of a carer's assessment varies by borough. Some councils in London offer short break grants directly. Some offer respite vouchers you can use with a registered carer or care service. Some convert the support into a direct payment, which is a sum of money paid to you to arrange your own respite cover. Citizens Advice notes that direct payments can be used flexibly, including paying for a private or independent carer to come in while you rest, go to an appointment, or simply leave the house.

The amounts are not large, and they vary considerably between boroughs. But even a few hours of funded cover a week can be the difference between managing and not managing.

How to actually start the process

Ring your borough's adult social care team directly. You do not need a GP referral. You do not need to already have a care package in place for the person you look after. Say the words: "I am a carer and I would like a carer's assessment under the Care Act." Write them down before you call if you need to.

If you are not sure which number to call, or if you feel too tired to navigate the council switchboard right now, the Carers UK Helpline on 0808 808 7777 can help you work out exactly what to ask for and who to ask. They also have an online advice section at carersuk.org. Age UK's Advice Line on 0800 678 1602 is another option, especially if the person you care for is older.

When you speak to the council, ask specifically about short break schemes and whether the borough operates a respite voucher or carer's personal budget programme. Not every borough uses the same language for these things. Some call it a carer's emergency fund. Some call it a short break grant. The question to keep asking is: "What is available to help me take a break?"

If the council says your needs do not meet the threshold for support, you have the right to ask how that decision was reached and to request it in writing. Citizens Advice can help you challenge an assessment decision if you feel it was wrong.

What families wish they had asked sooner

The thing that comes up again and again, when we speak to families who have eventually navigated this system, is that they waited far too long to ask. They thought the support was for people in a worse situation than them. They thought asking would mean giving up control. They thought the council would say no.

Some councils do say no, or offer less than families need. But many don't, and the answer is always no if you never ask. A carer's assessment costs you nothing. It does not commit you to anything. It is a conversation, and it is one you are entitled to have.

The other thing families say is that the direct payment route, where you choose and arrange your own respite cover rather than accepting whoever the council sends, gave them much more control over who came into the house. Some families in London have used direct payments to fund a vetted, independent carer to come in for a few hours a week, someone they chose themselves, someone their parent or loved one got used to over time. That continuity matters. It matters to the person being cared for, and it matters to you.

Hibant exists as one option for families who reach this point: you have the funding, or you are arranging private cover alongside whatever the council provides, and you want to find someone dependable yourself rather than accepting a rotating rota. We are a small London introductory care agency and we can introduce you to carers who have been independently DBS-checked and insurance-verified, people you meet in person before any arrangement begins.

But the first step, tonight or tomorrow morning, is the call to your borough's adult social care team, or to Carers UK on 0808 808 7777 if you want someone to help you prepare for that conversation first. You do not have to keep carrying this entirely alone.

If you would rather talk to us directly about finding respite cover in London, we are a small introductory care agency and every carer we introduce has been DBS-checked, insurance-verified, and reference-checked before meeting any family. You choose the carer yourself, and you meet them in person before any arrangement starts. Direct payments from the council can be used to pay for this kind of arrangement. You can email us at hello@hibantcare.com or have a look at what we do at hibantcare.com. We are happy to talk through your situation before you make any decision.

Hibant

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