CARERS feeling the strain of day-to-day caring could be eligible for a wellbeing grant of up to £200.

Shipley-based charity Carers’ Resource is encouraging carers to get in touch to see if they fit the criteria to apply for the Bradford Council grant which could give their health a boost.

Bradford Council has funds to allocate up to £200 to unpaid carers to help them pay for support such as pamper sessions, short breaks, computer equipment and sports tickets which in turn will help them keep up their vital role.

A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability

To be considered for the Carer’s Wellbeing Grant, carers first must have an informal review about their own health and wellbeing with a member of staff from Carers’ Resource.

The charity will then be able to recommend the carer for a grant.

The charity’s chief executive Chris Whiley said: “A recent report by Carers UK found that 40 per cent of carers had not had a day off from caring for more than a year.

“We want these grants to help as many carers as possible to have a break and some time to rest, relax and do something they enjoy.

“In the past, carers could apply for this grant by filling in a form.

“This is no longer the case as we have redesigned the system with Bradford Council to ensure carers can access support when they most need it.”

The grants are for over-18s who live in the boundaries of Bradford Council and the Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group.

Each grant recommendation will be considered by a panel that meets monthly and once the carer has accepted the terms and conditions of the grant they will get it quickly, according to Carers’ Resource.

The charity supports about 13,000 unpaid carers in Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven, and also in Harrogate and Ripon, through one-to-one support, casework, information, support groups, employment and training advice, planning for emergencies and wellbeing.

People can refer themselves or someone else, call Carers’ Resource on 01274 449660 or email bradford@carersresource.org

To find out more go to carersresource.org

Three in five people will become a carer in their lifetime and there are more than three million carers in the UK who are juggling work and caring responsibilities. About 45 per cent of carers have had to give up work and 42 per cent of carers are men, say the charity’s figures.