Choices and types of support available locally

‌There are various ways you can receive support to meet your care needs, whether you pay for your support yourself or you receive a Personal Budget from the Council. There is lots of informal support available locally, in your community. To find out what's available in your area you could speak to family or friends; talk to local groups or residents associations; and ask at your local library for information.

Here are a few examples of how you can search for the support you need online:

• Choose an existing Provider of Services
• Employ your own Personal Assistant
• Find a group in your local community
• Find a Support Provider from an online directory
• Local Area Coordination
• Support for Carers
• Live at Home Schemes

You can choose an existing provider of services

The Care Quality Commission has a list of registered care and support providers for you to choose from on its website or telephone 03000 616161.

You can employ your own Personal Assistant

A Personal Assistant could be someone who you already know and trust - such as a family member or friend. The assistant will help you live how you want and can provide the support you require to meet your care needs.

Employing someone can sound difficult, but there are agencies that can help you and give you information on how to do this, including:

• job descriptions
• contracts
• insurance
• recruitment
• health and safety
• police checks
• timesheets.

They will help you with recruitment, payroll and training your Personal Assistant and will give you advice to make sure you meet the requirements for becoming an employer. There will be a cost for this service.

Employing your own Personal Assistant can sound daunting. The good news is there is lots of help available. Visit our Personal Assistants - Information and Advice page for more information and advice on becoming an employer.

The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group have created a website called Disability and Tax that provides useful resources and information for people who have a Personal Budget and employ their own care workers or personal assistants.

The website has useful information on topics such as:

• paying wages
• tax status
• independent living
• employment law
• being a carer.

There are also useful tools such as the payslip tool which you can use to create payslips for your personal assistants.

Visit the website for more information.

You can find a group in your local community

The Meetup website is the world's largest network of local groups. Meetup makes it easy for anyone to organise a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face.

You can search for groups in your local community with interests such as:

• cars and motorcycles
• dancing
• food and drink
• hobbies and crafts
• movies and film
• music
• parents and family
• pets and animals
• photography
• support.

You can find a support provider from an online directory

Online directories list various voluntary, community and other organisations that can provide support for you in a number of different areas, such as:

• sport and leisure
• education and training
• carer support services
• domestic services
• personal care
• transport
• respite
• social activities.

For more information, visit:

• www.dowhatyouwant.org

Your one-stop-shop for all things disability related in Derby where you'll find over 700 organisations all with projects designed specifically for disabled people, older people and carers.

• www.communitydirectoryderbyshire.org.uk

The voluntary groups, organisations, social clubs, charities, social enterprises in this directory are all based in - or work within - Derby and Derbyshire. The directory is maintained and contributed to by a network of 14 organisations which includes Community Action Derby.

• www.carechoices.co.uk/region/derbyshire

Care Choices is a specialist information provider for care of the elderly and the specialist care of adults with additional needs (aged 18 to 64) in all types of care settings from care in the home to care homes or independent living alternatives.

• www.smallgoodstuff.co.uk

Small Good Stuff is an accessible web directory that is totally free of charge and gives the little guys a chance to show people the splendid things they can offer. 

• www.veteransgateway.org.uk

Veterans Gateway put veterans and their families in touch with the organisations best placed to help with the information, advice and support they need - from healthcare and housing to employability, finances, personal relationships and more.

You can get support from a Local Area Coordinator

If you live in the following wards you may be able to get support from a Local Area Coordinator to identify what a good life means to you and plan how you can live your good life:

• Abbey Ward
• Alvaston Ward
• Arboretum Ward
• Boulton Ward
• Chaddesden Ward
• Darley Ward
• Derwent Ward
• Mackworth Ward
• Normanton Ward
• Sinfin Ward

Visit our Finding support in your community - Local Area Coordination page for more information.

Support for Carers

Whether you care for someone for a few hours a week or for 24 hours a day, Derbyshire Carers Association can offer you a wide range of confidential and independent services.

Derbyshire Carers Association recognise that the responsibility of caring for someone who cannot manage at home without help often places great physical and emotional strain upon the carer.

Derbyshire Carers Association can support carers in a number of ways:

• To complete a carers assessment
• Assessment for a carers Personal Budget
• An emergency plan
• Benefits check
• Carers breaks
• A wide range of carers support and support groups.

For more information, visit Carers Support.

Live at Home Schemes

Through befriending, lunch and activity clubs, assisted shopping, outings, escorts to appointments and much more, MHA's Live at Home schemes help to tackle the impact of loneliness and isolation for people aged 55 and over – helping them to lead fulfilled lives and remain as active members in their local communities. Find your nearest Live at Home scheme at www.mha.org.uk/live-home.