Carers Trust
carers.org
Information and support for carers.
Carers UK
0808 808 7777
carersuk.org
advice@carersuk.org
Independent information and support for carers.
Disability Tax Guide
disabilitytaxguide.org.uk
Information for people who receive direct payments, and as a result have to operate a payroll for their care workers or personal assistants.
Gov.uk
Government services and information, including information on applying for direct payments.
Health in Wales
wales.nhs.uk
Information from the NHS in Wales.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
0300 061 0614 (to make a complaint)
lgo.org.uk
The final stage for complaints about councils and some other organisations providing local public services. Looks at complaints about adult social care providers (such as care homes and home care providers). Free service that independently investigates complaints.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
0345 015 4033
ombudsman.org.uk
Independent complaint handling service for complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England and UK government departments.
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
0300 790 0203
ombudsman-wales.org.uk
Looks into complaints about public services and independent care providers in Wales.
Where can I get support?
Local Mind
Local Minds support over 280,000 people across England and Wales. Their services include supported housing, crisis helplines, drop-in centres, employment and training schemes, counselling and befriending. They may be able to help you find advocacy services in your area.
Find your local Mind here.
Find an advocate
An advocate is a person who can both listen to you and speak for you in times of need. Having an advocate can be helpful in situations where you are finding it difficult to make your views known, or to make people listen to them and take them into account.
For information on advocacy services and groups in your area, you could start by contacting the Mind Legal Line and your local Mind.
Read more about how advocacy might help you.
This information was published in February 2018. We will revise it in 2020.
