Digital Resources for Carers

Caring for a family member or friend who is ill, disabled or older can be valuable and rewarding, but without the right support, caring can have an impact on your health, your job, your finances and your social life. Below we have provided a range of digital resources to support you in your caring role.

Carers UK – Online Support Resources

Lincolnshire County Council have teamed up with Carers UK to offer carers free access to their Digital Resource for Carers.

This website is packed with helpful information and resources, e-learning modules, hands-on guides and tools to help carers manage their caring responsibilities and look after themselves. It covers areas such as:

Health and Wellbeing
Practical Support
Financial Support
Technology and equipment
Home adaptations

To access this support, visit carersdigital.org and sign up using the free access code DGTL1946

As part of the Digital Resources for Carers, you can gain access to Jointly, an app designed to help you coordinate care for your loved one, either for yourself or as a way to share information with others. It combines group messaging with other features such as, daily to-do and medication lists, calendar and much more.

The Jointly apps free access code is: DGTL1946

For more information or to find out how the app can support you, watch the video below:

Fire safety in the home is an important consideration for anyone in a caring role. This easy-to-follow home fire safety check, developed in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Fire Kills and Safelincs, will take you through your home one room at a time, using simple questions to help you spot fire risks as you go around your home.

The tool offers tips and advice on the steps you can take to reduce any risks. At the end, you will receive a personalised fire safety action plan to help keep you and your household safe from fire.

This tool is accessible on a mobile device and can be completed by the resident, a relative, carer or a visiting professional in just a few minutes.

Take the online home fire safety check.

Dementia Wristband

People living with dementia in Lincolnshire are now entitled to a free NFC Dementia Safeguarding Band.

If you are a carer or relative of someone who is living with dementia and is mobile within the community, who you think could benefit from having a wristband, please email dementiasafeguarding@lincs.police.uk

Your email will need to include:

name of the person you are requesting for
Their date of birth
Their home address
the requested name, address and contact number of their next of kin

A member of the team will then be in touch to issue your wristband.

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free and voluntary system that your energy or water supplier uses to ensure the correct support is given to its most vulnerable customers. It is overseen by Ofgem for energy and Ofwat for water suppliers, and ensures individuals with special requirements have access to additional support as and when they need it.

Support may vary by supplier and by an individual’s circumstances, but may include:

Advanced notices of planned service interruption
Priority service support during emergencies and unexpected service interruption
Nominee scheme – nominating someone to receive communications and bills from the supplier
Quarterly meter readings and assistance with billing including large format, Braille and audio letters
Identification and password scheme

You may be eligible to register for free, if you or someone in the household:

Has reached pension age
Has children aged 5 and under
Has a disability or long-term medical condition
Rely on medical equipment that requires a power supply or refrigerated medicines
Would struggle to answer the door to get help in an emergency
Are recovering from an injury and need short term support
Has extra communication needs
Is living with dementia

For example, by signing up to Anglian Water's Priority Services Register they will then know you or your loved one's situation, so you won’t need to repeat yourself every time you speak to them, and you may access a range of priority services, including:

Being proactively contacted if there’s a planned interruption to your water supply.
Adding a password to your account to help protect against fake callers
Help reading your meter, if you find this difficult.
Communication in your preferred language, using the translation services, including British Sign Language.
Support to better understand your bills.
“Knock and wait” and “call and wait” if you need a bit longer to get to your phone or door

To sign up to your current supplier's free Priority Services Register and confirm eligibility with your suppliers, click the relevant links below:

anglianwater.co.uk/priority or telephone 0800 232 1951 to find out more

British Gas - Priority Services Register

EDF - Priority Services Register

National Grid - Priority Services Register

Octopus Energy - Priority Services Register

OVO Energy - Priority Services Register

Scottish Power - Priority Services Register

South East Water - Priority Services Register