The Dept of Health definition of a Carer is – 

‘A carer spends a significant proportion of their life providing unpaid support to family or potentially friends. This could be caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems’

If you are a carer services can be provided for the person you care for as well as for you. You as a carer might also be entitled to support in your own right from Adult Services depending on your own eligibility for Carers support.

If you find you are not eligible for support from Adult Services, please contact the Carers Centre and we will still have other ways to support you. You will still be entitled to an assessment from us at the Carers Centre. We can :

• look at your needs and the needs of the person you care for through an Assessment.
• Provide information, advice support and guidance as to how to access services which might help you.
• We can even help you get in touch with the right services too, however you may have to pay for some of the services we signpost you to.
• be in regular contact with you if that is helpful. The way this is done is called an assessment.

Carers may also be affected financially due to their caring role Welfare Rights and Debt advice service advise Tameside residents on a range of benefit and tax credit entitlements. The advice given by the service is completely independent, impartial, confidential and free. We have no ties to benefit agencies or other interested parties. The service recognises that individuals must make their own decisions, and that the role of the service is to give people the information they need to be able to exercise their rights. The service also provides specialist debt advice. All welfare benefits resources including guides and factsheets can be found on both www.tameside.gov.uk/welfarerights and www.advicetameside.org.uk  .

Tameside Carers Centre
Tameside One
Market Place
Ashton-under-Lyne
Tameside MBC
OL6 6BH

Tel: 0161 342 3344

Monday to Wednesday  8.30am – 5.00pm
Thursday 8.30am – 4.30pm
Friday 8.30am – 4.00pm

Other times/visits by appointment. However we take calls throughout Council office hours.

Tameside Carers Centre opened in March 1995. Its aim is to provide those who look after someone in Tameside with information, advice, support and advocacy. The Centre is part of Tameside Council Services and works with partners to ensure Carers get the support they need. 

Services at the Carers Centre are free, and impartial with confidential information and support available through Advisors. We are part of a service called the Health and Wellbeing Service within the council and can give you more details about that part of our service if you enquire about this too.

Who can use the Centre?

If you care for someone who lives in Tameside then you can use the Centre and discuss any issues with a member of the Wellbeing Team. We look forward to hearing from you. However, if you would like to book a specific time to come and see a member of the Carers Team do get in touch.

You can phone us at the Carers Centre during council office hours.

A range of other partners also may be able to help Carers in Tameside and we can tell you about how to contact them.

When you contact the Carers Centre – you will be offered and given an appointment to be assessed as above. We then keep your details (confidentially) and we have a mailing list so we can send you regular information about new developments or changes to services. The register is confidential and names will not be passed on to anyone without the Carer's permission. On joining it, you will also receive our newsletter for Carers called Signpost quarterly. Please contact us on 0161 342 3344 if you don’t currently receive the hard copy of the Signpost by post, we can add you to the distribution list.

We can also give you the information about if you worry about leaving the person you care for alone and in case you cannot get back to them we have something called a Tameside Emergency Carers Card Scheme We can give you this again – it is a printed form – not an on line form

We can support Carers in getting involved in areas of work are being undertaken to change services for Carers and and there is always something new and interesting happening.

We can also advise you about an organization which represents local Carers called the Carers Action Group (CAGT) (Tameside). 

CAGT consists of up to 16 Carers/Former Carers who volunteer to represent Carers issues in Tameside. Some members also represent Carers on other groups or committees.

Each Council member serves a three-year term and is eligible for re-election after that period If you are interested in joining CAGT – please look at their website as above

Young Carers

If you are a Young Carer, under the age of 18, you can join the Young Carers Project. The project can give you:

• Individual advice and support
• The chance to meet other young Carers
• Regular trips and activities
• A regular newsletter
• A Young Carers Pack

To join the project or more information please contact a Young Carers Support Worker at the following address

Hattersley Children’s Centre, Melandra Crescent, Hyde SK14 3RB

Tel:  0161 368 7722