There are many, many ways that you might be able to receive help from your local council and I wanted to touch on some here. I am focussing on Stockport Council but the same is true for which ever council area you are in. In the past we have sometimes tried to provide lots of contact details and links but it can be very hard to keep these up to date as departments merge, get rebranded, change their emails and phone numbers etc. so I have deliberately not tried to include contact details but instead would encourage you to reach out to us if you are struggling to find out what is available in your area or who to speak to for you to reach out directly to us e.g via our help line so we can get you the information you need.
Stockport Council have a contract with The Prevention Alliance to provide a lot of help and assistance to people in need. They fund a lot of great support that people can access but this is dealing with what they do directly rather than in-directly although do not be surprised if you contact the Council if they do not try to signpost you to the TPA or another organisation. https://stockporttpa.co.uk/
Aides and Adaptations in the Home
There are many aides and adaptations that can help you in the home and for many of them you will be expected to buy them yourself. Part of the reason why people can get benefits such as Personal Independence Payments is to help meet the costs of aides that they may have.
However there is a lot that your council may be willing and able, or even have a statutory duty to provide. You can either contact Adult Social Care contact line or the Aides and Adaptation team directly if you want a referral to either provide a specific aide/adaptation or to be assessed to see what ones might be suitable for you. I have had several referrals in over the years for hand rails getting in and out of the house, handrails inside the house and for a shower chair. If you are having issues with mobility etc. in the house then it is well worth thinking about. In Stockport referrals are pretty quick at the moment and if someone doesnt get in touch within a couple of weeks it is well worth chasing them up. Some other parts of Greater Manchester might have longer waiting times and slightly different rules on what they will or wont fund.
For more significant adaptations such as ramps, stair lifts, adapted baths etc. you might be able to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Depending on the item, its cost and your savings etc. you could get significant support for needed adaptations. This is a national scheme but it is administered at a local level.
Although not the Council I would also recommend visiting places like Miller Care and other aides and adaptations shops to see what is available. At some point I will create an aides and adaptations guide with more information
Problems putting the bins out?
If no-one in your household is able to safely put the bins out then you can request that the bin staff do it themselves when they do their rounds. It is a very easy form to fill in. https://www.stockport.gov.uk/start/request-an-assisted-bin-collection
Care and Support
If you have significant needs on an on-going basis looking after yourself or your children then you might be entitled to receive help from social services. This could be in the form of direct assistance or it could be in the form of a care budget that you can spend on things like taxis, cleaners & PA’s. Every care plan is different so for each person the money can be used in different ways. To request an assessment you can contact the adult social care contact number or initiate a referral via your Councils website. Alternatively do get in touch with us, several people in the group have care plans and can talk about how they got them and how they work for them.
If you are in a crisis then you might be able to access the crisis or short term teams. Sometimes they can provide support as soon as the day you contact them. So it is worth baring in mind if you have a particularly bad relapse and need help. There is also help for everyone who has been admitted to hospital to ensure they are safely able to return and recuperate at home.
Library services
If you want to borrow books but would struggle to get to a library you might want to take advantage of home library services. https://www.stockport.gov.uk/home-library-service This is the details for Stockport. If you read e-books there are also ebooks in the library catalogue that you can borrow if you have compatible devices. I used this myself quite a few times.
Advice and Guidance
There are various parts of the council that will provide assistance with not only council forms but also with DWP benefit forms etc. I often recommend people try to access specialist ME/CFS related advice with Benefit forms where possible but it is still an option worth considering. You can contact Fred Perry house directly and also they have a home visiting advice service for those who cannot access support in the community https://www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/benefits-support-and-advice
End note
This is just scratching the surface of the different support that the local council can provide. I do feel Stockport Council works hard to try to meet all the needs of residents where possible. As I discover or remember more ways they can help I might update this article and equally if there are any major elements missing let me know and I can add them.
Ben
