Support for carers | Brent Council

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Adult Social Care

Caring for someone

Support for carers

Every carer is different, and so is the kind of support that can help.

Some carers need practical advice or someone to talk to. Others may need help with the day-to-day care of a loved one. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution—but there is support available.

Talking to someone who understands what you’re going through can make a real difference. Services like Brent Carers Centre can help you work out what kind of support might suit your needs and make caring a little easier.

Whether you need time for yourself, help planning for emergencies, or support with your health and finances, there are local services in Brent that can help.

Taking a break from caring (respite)

Everyone needs time to rest and recharge. As a carer, you may be able to take what’s called a ‘short break’ from your caring duties. This can be for a few hours, a day, a weekend or longer.

While you take a break, the person you care for will be supported in a safe and friendly setting.

Types of short breaks include:

Respite care: A short stay for the person you care for in a residential or nursing home
Day services: Local centres offering activities, meals and social time
Help at home: A personal assistant can support the person you care for at home while you rest
Community activities: Support for the person you care for to join activities outside the home

If family or friends can’t step in, we may be able to arrange these services. Support could be free if the person you care for is eligible for Adult Social Care. Any costs will be discussed with you before anything is arranged.

To access respite care provided by the council, you must have a carer’s assessment. Learn more about getting an assessment.

Support from Brent Carers Centre

Brent Carers Centre is a dedicated service, commissioned by Adult Social Care, which offers a wide range of support services for unpaid carers. They understand the pressures carers face and are here to help.

They can support you with:

carer's assessments
information and advice about your rights
help with benefits and finances
training and emotional support
home equipment and minor repairs
support to stay healthy and well
emergency planning and carers cards

Emergency and contingency planning

If you look after someone it is important to plan ahead in case something unexpected happens and you can’t carry out your caring duties.

Brent Carers Centre can help you:

make a contingency plan so there are alternative arrangements in place
get support quickly if there’s an urgent need
get a carer’s card, to which you can add the contact details of someone that can be contacted in the event of an emergency

The carer's card may also give you discounts at some local businesses.

Support going into or coming out of hospital

Hospitals can support you as a carer too. Speak to the ward staff or visit the hospital’s website to find out more about:

help with discharge planning
information about caring roles and next steps
emotional support during hospital stays
Carer Passport

If you or the person you care for is being discharged from hospital, extra support may be available at home during recovery.

Emergency support for people with dementia

If the person you care for has dementia and is at risk of going missing, the Herbert Protocol can help. It’s a scheme from the Metropolitan Police that lets you share key information in advance so they can be found quickly.

Learn more about the Herbert Protocol on the Met Police website

Support for carers of children and young people

If you care for a child or young person, the Early Help team can support you. They work with families with children aged 0–18 (or up to 25 if they have additional needs).

They can help with:

parenting support
family wellbeing
access to local services
preventing problems before they grow.

If you're not sure where to start, the best first step is to talk to Brent Carers Centre. They will listen, understand your situation, and guide you to the right help.

GP support

Looking after someone else means you need to look after yourself too. You can register as a carer with your local GP. This means you:

can get priority appointments
can get free flu jabs
will be invited for an annual health check
can get support from your GP with home visits or longer appointments
may be able to get a confirmation letter for benefit applications

Ask your GP surgery for the carer registration form.

If you're not sure where to start, the best first step is to talk to the Brent Carers Centre. They will listen, understand your situation, and guide you to the right help.

Last updated 09/06/25