"Care for the Carers aims to improve the quality of carers lives by helping the local community recognise and value the role of carers, and by enabling carers to access the services & support they require."

Useful Contacts

Care for the Carers work in partnership with or signpost to many organisations in the county that can provide additional help to carers. Many of these contacts have websites where you can find out more about their services or they are local to where you live and can offer direct support.

Our contacts list is only a small selection of the numerous statutory and voluntary organisation contacts throughout the region.

Note: Care for the Carers is not responsible for any content displayed on the following linked sites or for any information found on the sites.

Adult Carers (A-Z)

General Information

Age Concern
Free Telephone Helpline: 0800 00 99 66
Their mission is to promote the well-being of all older people and to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.

Carers Direct
Tel: on 0808 802 02 02
Following the recent go live of the Carers Direct website, NHS Choices launched their new helpline on April 1st 2009, to provide confidential information and advice to carers.

You can also contact them using textphone on 0800 988 5657
The helpline is open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday and from 11am to 4pm at weekends. Calls from UK landlines are free.

Carers UK
CarersLine: Telephone 0808 808 7777
Wednesday and Thursday – 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm
Carers UK is an organisation campaigning for people to recognise the true value of carers’ contribution to society and help carers get the practical, financial and emotional support they need.

Carers UK Campaign
Right care Right deal - this is a national campaign to build public awareness and support for the need for brave an innovative solutions for the social care system for older and disabled people, their families and carers.

Contact the Elderly
Telephone: 020 7240 0630
This organisation helps people aged 75 or older who are lonely, live at home on their own or are unable to easily get out of the house unaided. Small local groups use volunteer drivers to pick up 1 or 2 elderly people from their own homes and take them to the home of a volunteer host where the volunteers and older people spend a few hours together.

DOH – Department of Health
Telephone: 020 7210 4850
Textphone (for deaf and hard of hearing) 020 7210 5025
Lines are open from 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
This site provides details of health and social care policies, guidance and publications for NHS and social care professionals.
There is a section containing information on Government guidance and regulations affecting carers, details of the current carers' grant and other relevant information on carers' policy.

DWP – Department for Work and Pensions
Carers Allowance information
Telephone: 01253 85 61 23
Lines are open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm on Fridays

Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
Telephone: 0845 7 12 34 56
Lines are open between 7.30am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday
The DWP promotes opportunity and independence for all through modern, customer-focused services. Clear, easy to read information.

DirectGov
Official website for citizens providing easy access to public services and information, delivered by the UK government.

ESCC – East Sussex County Council
Telephone: 01273 481000
Social Care Direct (Adult Services): 0345 60 80 191
Information about the services provided by the county, district and borough councils in East Sussex including Adult Social Care, Children and Families.

ESCIS – East Sussex Community Information Service
Telephone: 01273 481754

ESDA – East Sussex Disability Association
Telephone: 01323 514500
The organisation exists to help all disabled people in East Sussex be independent and control their own lives. Services provided include disabled living centre, information resource, employment and direct payments adviser.

East Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care
Telephone: 01273 485300
Part of the NHS. Very useful information about local health services for people living in the Eastbourne, Lewes and Wealden districts.

NHS Direct
Telephone: 0845 4647 Available 24 hours
Provides a 24 hour health advice service, 365 days of the year. Includes helpful information such as a Health Encyclopedia, Self-Help Guide and common health questions.

PRTC – Princess Royal Trust for Carers
Telephone: London office 0844 800 4361
Care for the Carers comes under the PRTC “umbrella". It is the largest provider of comprehensive carers support services in the UK. The Trust currently provides quality information, advice and support services to almost 310,000 carers, including over 15,500 young carers.

Parkinsons Disease Society
Telephone: Helpline 0808 800 0303
Established in 1969, the PDS has a network of over 330 branches and support groups located across the UK offering support and services, enabling everyone affected by Parkinsons and their families to meet others in similar situations.

Stroke Association
Telephone: Helpline 0845 3033 100
The Stroke Association is the only UK wide charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. It funds research into prevention, treatment and better methods of rehabilitation, and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its Rehabilitation and Support Services.

Children & Families

KiTES – Kids Information Throughout East Sussex
Telephone: 0845 60 10 77
Free parenting and childcare information service

Parent Link
Telephone: 01273 481172 (9.30am - 3pm)
Offers information, advice and support on all educational issues for parents of children with special educational needs. Trained volunteers can help fill in forms, talk to schools, and help with statements and appeals.

Mental Health

The Alzheimer's Society
Telephone: Helpline 0845 300 0336 Usually open from 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday to Friday
Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and those who care for them. They work to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

MIND (National Association for Mental Health
Telephone: Info Line – 0845 766 0163 Lines open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
MIND is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales working to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress.

ReThink
Telephone: 01424 716712
The leading national mental health membership charity, provides support to people who are caring for someone with a mental health diagnosis. They also provide emotional support, information and advice.

Sussex Partnership NHS Trust
Telephone: 01323 440022 (East Sussex office)
Provides mental health, specialist learning, disability and substance misuse services for the population of East Sussex.

Respite – Taking a Break from Caring

Age Concern (see General Information)

Association of Carers
Telephone: 01424 722309
The organisation provides a respected, award-winning, free-of-charge service delivering respite care for those in the St Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings community.

Crossroads
Telephone: 01273 483620 (Lewes), 01323 848422 (Seaford, Eastbourne and Wealden) and 01424 444954 (Hastings and Rother)
Crossroads is a national charity that can offer a professional caring respite service in your own home. The free service provides a trained and experienced person to stay at home with disabled or sick person who will take over the role as carer.

Red Cross Society
Telephone: Freephone 0800 587 8929 (for the Sussex area)
The Red Cross offers a service specifically designed to support carers and their cared for in the North Wealden area of East Sussex. They can offer practical and emotional support for a period of 4-6 weeks to enable the carer to take a break.

Vitalise
Telephone: 0845 345 1972
Has hotels/respite facilities that provide nursing care.

Tourism for All
Telephone: 0845 124 9971
Can provide a list of accessible hotels, campsites, self-catering properties, activity holidays and group holidays run by charities.

Young Carers

Follow the link here for a list of organisations that specialise in offering help and support for Young Carers