Turn2us is a free and independent service which helps people in financial need to gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face to face through our partner organisations.
Our fully accessible website includes an easy to use Benefits Calculator, Grants Search and information and resources on welfare benefits and managing money.
Over 90% of the people accessing our website say they are extremely concerned about their financial situation, with over half of the people coming to us for help earning under £10,000 per year.
One of the key groups we support is carers. There are 6.5 million carers in the UK today, yet many of these do not identify themselves as carers, and are unaware of the financial help available to them.
Our research found that half of the carers we surveyed were not claiming Carer’s Allowance and almost a quarter were not receiving any benefits at all, yet over two-fifths had struggled to pay their energy bills, and nearly a third were regularly skipping meals.
Through our Benefits Calculator, carers can check which benefits they are entitled to, the amounts they could receive and how to make a claim.
Help may also be available to carers, or the people they care for, in the form of a charitable grant.
Our Grants Search contains details of over 3,000 charitable funds that provide financial help and other support services, based on different circumstances and needs. Many of the charities listed on the Grants Search provide other specific resources for carers.
In addition, the Turn2us website features an information and resources section for carers including details of the benefits which carers may be able to claim and help from the local council plus links to other organisations that may be able to provide help and advice.
Carers can also use the Turn2us Find an Adviser tool if they wish to seek face-to-face advice in their local area.
For anyone who is not able to access our services online, we have a free, confidential helpline on
0808 802 2000 (open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm).
For more information, please visit www.turn2us.org.uk
Sally’s Story
Sally is a full time carer for her daughter who has Dyspraxia and Asperger’s Syndrome. Here she explains her financial difficulties and the help she got through Turn2us.
“A few years ago my daughter was struggling at school. The opportunity came up for her to go to a new school and study for a special diploma, which seemed perfect for her. I made the tough decision to give up my part-time job so I could take her to and from the school and help her settle in.
I felt guilty for leaving my job as I worried about putting financial pressure on my husband – it was hard to balance doing the right thing for him, my daughter and us as a family.
I felt we needed some support, so I contacted the Carer’s helpline who recommended that we try Turn2us. I called the Turn2us helpline and the adviser told me that in addition to the Disability Living Allowance we were already claiming, we could be eligible for Carer’s Allowance, Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit. I managed to make a successful claim for these benefits.
This additional support has been a life saver. It has allowed my daughter to study for the diploma, and I know that she is safe and I can be around if she needs me.
It can feel like you are on your own sometimes and whilst you can talk to your family, you don’t want to burden them. I felt that Turn2us was on my side and genuinely there to help.”