Welfare

Many carers find that it is useful to talk about their caring role. It doesn’t matter who you support and why they need that support. It could be a child with additional needs, an older relative or a friend – the Carers Service is here to support all carers. The person you look after doesn’t need a formal diagnosis and you don’t need to be claiming carers allowance to use the service.

The team is based at the Carers Centre. We start with a conversation to understand your situation and help you to work out what type of support might help. Carers often find it useful to get information and advice, support to have a break or just to have a listening ear.

Our aim is to help older veterans stay independent and have greater confidence by providing friendly social contact, support and companionship.

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www.blesma.org

Providing support to limbless and injured veterans for life.
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is dedicated to assisting serving and ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight in the honourable service of our country.

Attended by caseworkers from the Portsmouth Branch, SSAFA can offer advice on financial arrears, assist with the purchase of household goods, assist in the provision of repairs and disabled facilities, as well as offer financial and emotional assistance. Portsmouth SSAFA will manage your case to your local branch if necessary and can also assist in signposting you to other agencies for assistance.

The RBL can offer advice and support regarding welfare needs and refer to other TRBL support services, including debt; benefits and money advice (BDMA). The RBL offers War Pension and Compensation advice (WP&C), takes you through the RBL Care Homes referral process and offers employment and housing support advice. They can link you with Military Recovery Centres (Battle Back Centre), home adaptations (Handy Van Service) and the RBL Admiral Nurses (helping those affected by dementia), Poppy Breaks and Adventure Holiday. You will be offered assistance by experienced caseworkers who attend alongside The Independent Living Advisor (ILA) and Advice and Information Officer (AIO).

The new initiative from the RNBT is the Beneficiary Support Coordinators posts which look at the Revolving Door of benevolence taking a holistic approach to helping our beneficiaries attain a better quality of life. The BSC’s intervention has enabled many beneficiaries to engage with other like-minded individuals and agencies to help them better themselves, be it educationally, work, financial or socially related, aided or helped by many of the agencies or charities. This demonstrates what a difference the BSC position has made in a short period of time.

This service enriches their lives while providing continuing support, attempting to negate isolation and the revolving door syndrome while empowering applicants to ensure a better outcome and become more resilient.

Vets UK provides welfare, pensions and compensation advice to veterans and their dependants, following a change in their personal situation, such as bereavement or changes in disablement. Support can include identifying when someone is eligible to claim or apply for a benefit or compensation and help with applying for the Armed Forces Pension Schemes, War Pension Scheme, Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or referrals to the Department for Work and Pensions, Local Authorities and charities/agencies.

We are Citizens Advice Portsmouth and we are also involved in a project called “Joining Forces for Families”. This service offers advice and support for the Armed Forces families. Citizens Advice provide free, confidential, impartial and independent advice on various issues such as housing matters, employment, benefits, family relationships as well as specialist advice on Debt.

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund provide a range of support aimed at serving and former RAF personnel and their dependants. This includes welfare breaks, grants to help with financial difficulty and getting about inside and outside the home, specialist advice on benefits and support with care needs, as well as support for young people through our Airplay programme.

www.navalchildrenscharity.org.uk

The Naval Children’s Charity is the only charity dedicated to supporting the children, up to the age of 25, of serving and veteran personnel from all branches of the Royal Navy including the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, QARNNS, WRNS, Reserves and RFA.  Any need is considered and our dedicated caseworkers are always available to discuss any issues your family and children are facing.  We provide grants directly to the families where there is need and have free books to support younger children understand and cope with separation.  Families can apply directly through out website www.navalchildrenscharity.org.uk by filling out a simple form and a caseworker will call you to see how we can help.   We work closely with other Charities and RN FPS to ensure you get the help you need.

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