1. STARTING POINTS AND YOUR RIGHTS
Dundee Carers Centre: Practical and emotional support, carer groups, counselling pathways, short breaks and help finding other services. Self-referral is possible.
Contact: 01382 200422 | dundeecarerscentre.org.uk
132–134 Seagate, Dundee DD1 2HB (check appointment arrangements before visiting)
Adult Carer Support Plan (ACSP): A free discussion and written plan about your caring role, wellbeing, willingness and ability to continue caring, emergency arrangements and support needs. Ask your local carer centre or council.
Contact: mygov.scot/help-for-carer/carer-support-plan
Care Information Scotland: Independent guidance about care, local services and care options across Scotland.
Contact: 0800 011 3200 | careinfoscotland.scot
Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
2. MONEY, BENEFITS AND PRACTICAL FINANCIAL HELP
Dundee City Council Welfare Rights/CONNECT: Free benefits checks, help with forms and appeals, budgeting, debt and financial difficulties. Also ask about Council Tax Reduction and Scottish Welfare Fund grants.
Contact: 0300 102 4011, option 2 (Welfare Rights); option 1 (Scottish Welfare Fund)
Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau: Independent help with benefits, money, debt, housing and general rights.
Contact: 01382 214633 | citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland
Social Security Scotland: Ask about Carer Support Payment, Scottish Carer Supplement, Carer Additional Person Payment, Adult Disability Payment (for the person cared for), and other Scottish benefits. Carer Support Payment typically requires 35+ hours caring weekly and a qualifying disability benefit; income and other benefit rules apply.
Contact: 0800 182 2222 | mygov.scot/get-carer-benefits
mygov.scot/adult-disability-payment
Check before claiming: A new carer benefit claim can change some income-related benefits or the cared-for person’s entitlement. Request a full benefits check first.
Contact: Dundee Welfare Rights: 0300 102 4011, option 2
3. BREAKS, RESPITE AND PRACTICAL CARE
Dundee Carers Centre – Short Breaks Help: to explore time off from caring, activities, small breaks or short-break funding. A short break does not have to mean overnight respite. Funding depends on eligibility and availability.
Contact: 01382 200422 | shortbreaks@dundeecarerscentre.org.uk | dundeecarerscentre.org.uk/services/short-breaks/
Adult social care assessment and Self-directed Support (SDS) Ask about a needs assessment for the person you support, support at home, day opportunities, personal budgets and possible replacement care. Assessments and services depend on individual need.
Contact: Dundee First Contact Team (ages 16+): 01382 434019
dundeehscp.com/self-directed-support
Shared Care Scotland: Information on short breaks, Time to Live and other opportunities.
Contact: sharedcarescotland.org.uk
4. HEALTH, EMOTIONAL WELLBEING AND CRISIS SUPPORT
NHS 24: Phone 111 for urgent health advice when your GP is closed, and for urgent mental health support through the 111 Mental Health Hub, 24/7. For immediate danger or life-threatening emergencies, call 999.
Contact: 111 | nhs24.scot
Your GP practice: Tell your GP that you are an unpaid carer. Discuss your own health, stress, sleep and support needs; ask how the practice records and supports carers.
Contact: Contact your own GP practice
Breathing Space: Confidential emotional support for people in Scotland aged 16+ who feel low, overwhelmed or distressed (not an emergency service).
Contact: 0800 83 85 87 | breathingspace.scot
Weekdays 6pm–2am; weekends Fri 6pm–Mon 6am
Samaritans: Confidential listening support, day or night.
Contact: 116 123 | samaritans.org
5. Legal authority, wills and planning ahead
Being a parent, sibling, next of kin or unpaid carer does not automatically give legal authority to make decisions for an adult. Capacity is assessed for the particular decision, and the person should be supported to decide where possible. These arrangements are not interchangeable.
Power of attorney: An adult who has capacity appoints an attorney for specified continuing (financial) and/or welfare matters. A welfare attorney can only exercise welfare powers when the adult lacks capacity for those decisions.
Contact: Ask the appropriate administering body / seek independent advice
Power of Attorney (PoA): Someone with capacity can choose an attorney. In Scotland, continuing PoA concerns finances and welfare PoA concerns personal welfare when capacity is lost. PoA must be registered before use.
Contact: publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
Guardianship: Where an adult lacks capacity to make relevant decisions and there is no suitable existing authority, a court may grant powers over specified welfare and/or financial matters. It is not automatic when a child turns 16.
Contact: mygov.scot/guardianship | Speak to a Scottish solicitor experienced in adults with incapacity
Benefits appointee / authorised representative: An appointee can deal with specified benefit claims for someone who cannot manage them. This is not the same as general guardianship or PoA. Social Security Scotland and DWP rules differ; you can also sometimes help someone with an application without being their appointee.
Contact: mygov.scot/acting-on-behalf-of-someone-applying-for-benefits | gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits
Wills, inheritance and trusts: Consider who would manage or inherit money, whether a trust might be appropriate, and how a gift could affect means-tested benefits or care arrangements. Ask a Scottish solicitor with experience in disability and estate planning rather than relying on a standard template.
Contact: mygov.scot/legal-advice-for-care | Law Society of Scotland solicitor search: lawscot.org.uk
Emergency and future care plan Write down the cared-for person’s preferences, daily routines, medication, key contacts and what should happen if you become ill or cannot care. Discuss longer-term wishes with the person and relevant services.
Contact: carersuk.org/scotland (search “getting help in an emergency”)
Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) Information on powers of attorney, access to funds, financial guardianship and intervention orders.
Contact: 01324 678300 | opg@scotcourts.gov.uk | publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk
Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland Guidance on adults with incapacity, welfare guardianship and rights.
Contact: Information and guidance | mwcscot.org.uk/law-and-rights/adults-incapacity-act
6. Advocacy, choices and having a voice
Dundee Independent Advocacy Support (DIAS): Independent advocacy for eligible Dundee adults aged 21+, including people with learning disabilities, mental health difficulties and neurodivergence; can help people be heard in complex decisions.
Contact: 01382 205515 | diasdundee.org
Advocating Together: Collective and self-advocacy for Dundee people aged 16+ with learning disabilities and autistic people.
Contact: 01382 666601 | advocating-together.org.uk
Independent advocacy: An advocate helps the person express their wishes and rights; they do not simply make decisions for them.
Contact: siaa.org.uk/find-an-advocate/
7. Trusts, wills and family future planning
Planning ahead can protect the person you support while respecting their wishes, independence and rights. Specialist advice is particularly important before leaving someone money in a will or setting up a trust.
ENABLE Trustee Service: Specialist trustee service for families of people with learning disabilities. Can act as trustee for assets left for a beneficiary, including funds through a will. A properly structured trust may help preserve means-tested benefits and care support; this depends on individual circumstances. The service does not provide legal advice on guardianship or power of attorney.
Contact: 01698 737 000 (option 6) | trustee@enable.org.uk | enable.org.uk/enable-trustee-service
Specialist Scottish solicitor: Ask about writing or updating a will, discretionary / disabled-person trusts, executors and trustees, inheritance tax and what happens after a parent or carer dies. Get personalised advice on benefit and tax consequences.
Contact: Law Society of Scotland solicitor search | lawscot.org.uk
PAMIS – Tayside: Family support and information for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, including transition planning and links to other professionals.
Contact: Tayside 01382 755394 | head office 0330 81 810 81 | pamis.org.uk
9. Financial wellbeing and useful additional help
Dundee Council Advice Services / Welfare Rights: Free check of benefit entitlement, help with forms, debt and money questions; ask about Council Tax Reduction, Scottish Welfare Fund and discretionary support.
Contact: 0300 102 4011 (option 2); Scottish Welfare Fund option 1 | welfare.rights@dundeecity.gov.uk | dundeecity.gov.uk
Social Security Scotland: Ask about Carer Support Payment, Scottish Carer Supplement, Carer Additional Person Payment and Adult Disability Payment. Awards and eligibility depend on circumstances and can affect other benefits.
Contact: 0800 182 2222 | mygov.scot/carer-support-payment
Carer’s Credit: National Insurance credits may be possible for some carers caring at least 20 hours weekly who do not receive a qualifying carer benefit.
Contact: Check eligibility through GOV.UK | gov.uk/carers-credit
8. Care, breaks and emergency planning
Dundee First Contact Team: Ask for a care needs assessment for an adult, and about Self-directed Support (SDS), support at home, day opportunities, personal budgets and longer-term living arrangements.
Contact: 01382 434019 (adults 16+) | dundeehscp.com/self-directed-support
Dundee Carers Centre Short Breaks: Advice on short breaks and available funding, including Time to Live and Respitality where available; the person cared for may also need replacement care.
Contact: 01382 200422 | shortbreaks@dundeecarerscentre.org.uk | dundeecarerscentre.org.uk/services/short-breaks/
Shared Care Scotland: Short-break directory, planning guidance and information on Time to Live microgrants; local funding availability varies.
Contact: 01383 622462 | sharedcarescotland.org.uk
Emergency care planning: An Adult Carer Support Plan can include arrangements for illness, hospitalisation or any unexpected interruption to caring. The council can be asked about emergency support even without a current carer plan. ENABLE emergency-planning resources are listed through Fife HSCP.
Contact: Ask Dundee Carers Centre / social work | fifehealthandsocialcare.org/services/for-carers/resources-for-carers/