Support for Armed Forces carers
Surrey has a large Armed-forces connected community, naturally including many people with a caring role.
We know being a carer related to the forces – whether you are still serving, a family member, a young carer, ex-services, a veteran or a reservist – brings some unique challenges, as well as the usual issues caring brings.
We can offer confidential, bespoke, information, advice and guidance to carers in the Armed Forces community. We have several hundred Armed Forces-connected carers in Surrey already registered with us.
We can help with all sorts of things and have specific support for the challenges you might be facing.
How we can help…
- We’ll put you in touch with the relevant support with ACS, whether that’s for practical, legal, financial or wellbeing concerns
- We can give you specific information around caring and support within the Armed Forces community in Surrey
- Access our support groups, which meet monthly both online and face to face
- We offer a broad range of free wellbeing, information and training events
- We can help advise you on what money help, including benefits, you may be entitled to
- We can also signposting and refer to other relevant organisations that can help
Get in touch
Please contact us to find out more – by phone on 0303 040 1234 or email [email protected]
Employer Recognition Scheme Bronze Award – Armed Forces Covenant
We have the Employer Recognition Scheme Bronze Award, awarded by the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising our commitment to the Armed Forces.
This national award, signed by the Ministry of Defence and Chief of Defence, is made to organisations that ‘pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community’.
Armed Forces young carers
If you’re a young carer, supporting a sibling, parent or other family member and one of your family is serving, a reservist or veteran, you might need a bit of extra support.
You could be worried about:
- Those who you care for – if you’re not about
- A family member who is away on tour, while you’re caring for those at home
- Are you moving schools regularly?
- Are you missing school, or falling behind, due to your caring responsibilities
- Do you feel isolated and not able to access social activities?
We can offer tailored support to help you in your caring role and put you in touch with our young carers support services.
RBL report
The Royal British Legion is aware of the additional challenges faced by carers in the Armed Forces. Their report, Unpaid Carers in the Armed Forces Community outlines these challenges, and includes some key recommendations.