Thousands of unpaid carers urged to act on grant offer
ONLY a third of unpaid carers in Swansea who could be eligible for a one-off Welsh Government grant of £500 have been contacted and encouraged to apply.
Thousands of unpaid carers in Swansea are being urged to consider signing up for the cash sum, which aims to help them through post-pandemic financial pressures.
Unpaid carers who were in receipt of Carers’ Allowance on March 31, 2022 are eligible for the payment. However, people will not be eligible if they have a carer’s premium paid within a meanstested benefit such as Universal Credit.
The application process began on May 16 and registrations for the grant must be completed by 5pm on July 15.
Joint deputy leader of Swansea Council Cllr Andrea Lewis said: “We’ve already sent letters to around 1,300 carers who we think might be eligible to apply, encouraging them to consider registering for the grant.
“But Welsh Government has estimated there are around 4,000 carers in Swansea who might be entitled to the grant and we’d urge people to take a look at the website to see if they can register for a payment. We can provide support to anyone who cannot fill in the form themselves and has no-one to help them do it. We have also made local support groups and organisations aware they can fill in the form for the people they are assisting.”
Although Swansea Council is administering the grant, eligibility criteria have been set out by the
Joint deputy leader of Swansea Council Cllr Andrea Lewis
Welsh Government. Anyone who believes they may be eligible for a grant must register for it. They will then be assessed and a payment made if they are entitled to it.
Find out more about the eligibility criteria and how to apply at www. swansea.gov.uk/unpaidcarersgrant