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BCP Carer Support Guide 2026

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What help is available in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and how to access it


Most people do not plan to become a carer. It happens gradually, or suddenly, when someone you love becomes ill or stops being able to manage on their own. One day you are a spouse, a parent, a child or a friend. The next, you are the person keeping everything together, often with very little idea of where to turn or what you are entitled to.


One reader described how she only found out she was a carer because her husband was in hospital and there happened to be a table in the reception during Carers Week. When her doctor said they needed social services help, the surgery did not have a single number to give her. That experience is far more common than it should be. This article exists so that the next person does not have to find out by accident.


You do not need to be registered anywhere or have an official label. If you are looking after someone who would not manage without you, this is for you.


First: You Are a Carer, Even If It Does Not Feel Like It


Carers save the economy £445 million per day, amounting to £162 billion per year. The health and social care system would simply collapse without them. Many people never use the word ‘carer’ to describe themselves, yet they are providing dozens of hours of unpaid support every week. Using that word to identify yourself is often the thing that unlocks help.


BCP Carer Support: Your First Port of Call


BCP Carer Support, formerly known as CRISP, supports unpaid adult carers across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Their vision is for every carer in the area to feel listened to, valued and supported.


When you sign up to the Carers Information Service, you receive a welcome pack with information about local events, a carers discount card for local services, and details of support groups available to you.


Register online at bcpcarersupport.org or call 01202 128 787.


PramaLife: Groups, Befrienders and Mentors


PramaLife is one of the most active organisations supporting carers in the BCP area, currently providing 71 support groups across BCP and East Dorset as well as one-to-one support, helping just over 2,000 people each year.


The FOCUS Carer Support Scheme, funded by BCP Council, is a free service that offers:


  • Befrienders who provide companionship and a listening ear through regular phone calls or in-person meetings

  • Mentors who are experienced carers themselves and can provide practical advice and emotional support

  • Monthly support groups that provide a safe space to share experiences and find out about local services


To connect with a local group, contact the manager for your area:




Tell Your GP You Are a Carer


This is one of the simplest steps and one of the most overlooked. Your GP practice will be able to help you look after your health better if they know you are caring. A confidential note can be placed on your records so your doctor can:


  • Offer convenient appointments that fit around your caring responsibilities

  • Provide a free annual flu vaccination

  • Connect you with the surgery’s dedicated Carers Lead


You can let your surgery know by downloading a simple form at carersupportdorset.co.uk and handing it to any member of staff. Some GPs have their own forms on their website however if you have difficulties downloading the form simply call your GP and tell them you are a carer so they can put it on your record. 


You Are Entitled to a Carer's Assessment


If you are over 18 and provide regular unpaid care for someone, you are legally entitled to a carer’s assessment. It is:


  • Voluntary and confidential

  • Available even if the person you care for refuses social care services

  • A conversation with a professional about how caring affects your life, not an interview or test

  • An opportunity to find out what support is available to you


Request an assessment at bcpcouncil.gov.uk/carers-assessment


Getting Help for the Person You Care For


To find out if the person you care for qualifies for social care support, a member of social care staff will arrange to speak with them to discuss their situation. If they agree, you can be part of that conversation.


It is important to be clear about the level of care you are willing and able to provide. Adult social care cannot legally assume you will continue to meet those needs indefinitely.


Contact BCP Council’s Adult Social Care team at bcpcouncil.gov.uk/adult-social-care


Taking a Break: Respite Options in BCP


Taking a break is not a luxury. It is how carers keep going. Caring can be emotionally and physically demanding, and your own needs matter too.


Options available in BCP include:


  • BCP Carer Support holiday lodges: Holiday lodges in Devon and Weymouth available to carers for a small booking fee, plus beach huts at low cost. You can choose to go with or without the person you care for. See bcpcarersupport.org/need-a-break

  • Green Island Holiday Trust: Supported holidays for people with disabilities and their carers at Holton Lee in accessible cottages, with personalised care provided by experienced volunteers around the clock. Contact Wendy on 01202 375 006 or organiser@greenislandholidaytrust.com

  • Bluebird Care Bournemouth and Poole: Respite care and support for people with complex needs in their own home, ranging from a sitting service for a couple of hours to 24-hour live-in care. Call 01202 283777.


Mental Health Support for Carers


Caring can take a significant toll on your own mental health and that needs to be taken seriously. You cannot pour from an empty cup.


  • Steps 2 Wellbeing: A free, confidential NHS service for anyone aged 18 and over registered at a Dorset GP surgery, including Bournemouth and Poole. Covers low mood, depression, anxiety and stress. You can self-refer without going through your GP. Visit steps2wellbeing.co.uk

  • LiveWell Dorset: Free wellness advice and coaching funded by Public Health Dorset, including help to quit smoking or reduce alcohol use. Visit livewelldorset.co.uk

  • Help and Care: A Dorset-based charity offering free support to people with long-term health conditions, carers, and those who are isolated. Also provides a Dementia Coordinator Service with post-diagnostic support for carers. Visit helpandcare.org.uk

  • Relate: Relationship counselling available in BCP. Caring can put strain on relationships and that support is there if you need it. Visit relate.org.uk

  • BCP Community Mental Health Teams: For more intensive mental health support, BCP Council works with Dorset HealthCare to provide community mental health teams across the area. Contact your GP to request a referral.


Bridgit: Online Carer Support 24 Hours a Day


Bridgit is a free online platform available to all carers in BCP, accessible at any time of day or night. It provides advice, guidance and information to help with your caring role, including a self-help plan you can build yourself by selecting the topics relevant to you.



Financial Support: What Carers Are Entitled To


Many carers are missing money they are legally entitled to simply because no one told them it existed. Here is what to check.


Carer's Allowance

Paid to carers who spend at least 35 hours a week providing regular care to someone with a disability. You need to:


  • Be over 16 and not in full-time education

  • Earn less than £196 take-home pay per week

  • Care for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit


Apply at gov.uk/carers-allowance or call 0800 731 0297. Worth £83.30 per week in 2025/26.


The Carer Premium

If you receive Carer’s Allowance, you may also qualify for the Carer Premium or Carer Addition worth up to £46.40 per week. This is added automatically to Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction calculations.


Pension Credit for Carer Pensioners

If you claim Pension Credit and are entitled to Carer’s Allowance, a Carer Addition of £46.40 per week is added to your minimum amount. Pension Credit tops up weekly income to £227.10 for a single person or £346.60 for a couple. Apply at gov.uk/pension-credit or call 0800 99 1234.


Council Tax Discounts for Carers

As an unpaid carer, you may be disregarded for council tax purposes, which can reduce your bill by 25% or more depending on who else lives in the property. This is separate from the means-tested Council Tax Support scheme and does not require a low income. Check eligibility at bcpcouncil.gov.uk/council-tax-discounts


Free Benefits Calculators

  • Turn2Us: Free anonymous calculator covering Universal Credit, Carer’s Allowance, tax credits and more. Visit turn2us.org.uk

  • Entitledto: Covers Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit and can show how benefits would change if you start work. Visit entitledto.co.uk

  • Carers UK Your Upfront Guide: A simple tool for carers new to benefits that helps identify what you can claim. Visit carersuk.org


The Carer Friendly ID Card


Available free to unpaid carers who register with the Carers Information Service. It proves you are a carer when out and about, provides In Case of Emergency contact details, and gives access to discounts at businesses displaying the carers card symbol. Register at bcpcarersupport.org/carers-forms/join-carers-information-service


Working Carers


Many carers feel pressure to reduce their working hours or give up paid work entirely. From April 2025, working carers can earn up to £196 per week without losing Carer’s Allowance eligibility. This is the biggest increase to the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced, meaning carers can earn £2,340 more per year while still receiving the benefit.


If your employer is not aware of your caring responsibilities, the Carers UK guide for working carers is a useful starting point: carersuk.org/help-and-advice/work-and-career


Young Carers


In Dorset, there are carers as young as 5 years old. Young carers may help with cooking, housework, shopping or provide emotional support, and caring can have a significant impact on school, friendships and hobbies. If a child or young person in your household is taking on a caring role, contact BCP Carer Support on 01202 128 787 to discuss what support is available.


The Care Free Choir


The Care Free Choir meets at St Dunstan Orthodox Church Hall, St Osmunds Road, Parkstone, BH14 9JG. No experience or auditions needed. It is exactly the kind of thing that sounds small but can make a real difference to someone who has not had time for themselves in months.


When Your Caring Role Changes or Ends


Caring does not always end neatly. The person you care for may move into residential care, go into hospital for an extended period, or pass away. BCP Carer Support provides advice and support for when your caring role changes, whether that means no longer being able to care at home, or thinking about life after the death of the person you cared for.


Contact BCP Carer Support on 01202 128 787 or visit bcpcarersupport.org


A Note for Anyone Who Has Already Tried and Hit a Wall


The reader whose experience inspired this article wrote a perfectly reasonable letter to her GP surgery suggesting a folder of leaflets and contact numbers for carers. It was treated as a complaint. That should not happen and it is not a reflection of the value of what she asked for.


If you have had a similar experience, whether that is a request being dismissed, a referral refused, or a letter that did not receive the response it deserved, LetterLab’s areas we help with page covers how a clearly written formal letter can change the way an organisation responds to you. Sometimes the difference between being ignored and being heard comes down to how something is worded and who it is addressed to.


Quick Reference: Where to Start


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