We’re moving

We’re moving

We’re working from home from 23rd – 27th of September because we’re moving offices. This means we will be closed for visitors and there may be some delays with information sent by post, but we’re still here…working from home and...
Think Autism in County Durham Strategy

Think Autism in County Durham Strategy

The Think Autism strategy is a local strategy for autistic children, young people and adults. It provides focus and clarity on the priorities for improving services and opportunities for them and to improve support during the transition from childhood through to...
Turn2Us PIP helper tool

Turn2Us PIP helper tool

Have you seen the latest PIP helper tool from Turn2Us You can click here to try it out. Three years in the making and designed alongside people who have claimed PIP, Turn2us PIP Helper is an accessible online information tool developed with people with health...
Holiday Activities & Food in Darlington

Holiday Activities & Food in Darlington

Free holiday activities during the school holidays for young people ages 5-16yrs who receive benefit related free school meals. For more information, to check eligibility and to book Visit: www.darlington.gov.uk/HAF Email: movemore@darlington.gov.uk Call:...
Supporting our Carers

Supporting our Carers

A new commitment has been made in Darlington to recognise and support those with caring responsibilities. Picture c/o Darlington Brough Council: Around 10,000 people in Darlington identity as a carer. with potentially many more yet to come forward. Some people take on...
Young Adult Carers in Darlington

Young Adult Carers in Darlington

Downloadable Leaflet A young person aged 16-25 with caring responsibilities can be known as a Young Adult Carer. Young Adult Carers care for a family member, relative or friend who, due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, cannot cope...
Universal Credit and DLA

Universal Credit and DLA

Universal Credit – Don’t miss out! Where a child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the “Disabled Child” or “Severely Disabled Child” element is not always automatically added to the open UC claim as it may need the DWP to follow up and manually...
Carers Allowance – Are you still eligible?

Carers Allowance – Are you still eligible?

Carers are being asked to repay thousands of pounds after earning more than the limit for Carers Allowance. Please check that you:- Do not earn more than £151 a week after tax, national insurance and some allowed expenses. Report any extra income such as overtime or...
Donate to Tony

Donate to Tony

Tony Williams is running the Manchester Marathon for us and would be very grateful for any donations you can, to support him. He says: “Hi all ready for Manchester marathon in aid of Durham County Carers Support. A great help to many people giving advice and...
Volunteer Role – Admin Support Volunteer 

Volunteer Role – Admin Support Volunteer 

Durham County Carer Support (DCCS)   Volunteer Role: Admin Support Volunteer  Reporting to: Senior Contact Team and Volunteer Project Lead  Click here to apply Purpose of the role: This role is to provide varied admin support to the whole team. The role is based in...
Sharing is Caring, by Richard Gladstone

Sharing is Caring, by Richard Gladstone

Sharing is Caring . . . by Richard Gladstone  Definition of caring? The work or practice of looking after those unable to care for themselves, especially on account of age or illness. Did I consider myself as a Carer?  No.  I simply considered that looking after my...
Carer Survey

Carer Survey

We want to hear from you to help us improve our support services. Please take the time to complete our survey, we care that you care! Click HERE to complete our Carer Survey today.
Christmas Opening Times

Christmas Opening Times

Friday 22nd December Open 9am – 2pm Saturday 23rd December & Sunday 24th December CLOSED Monday 25th December CLOSED Tuesday 26th December CLOSED Wednesday 27th December Open 9am – 5pm Thursday 28th December open 9am – 5pm Friday 29th December Open 9am – 5pm...
Carer Champion Volunteer Role

Carer Champion Volunteer Role

We urgently need Carer Champion Volunteers. Would you like to find out more about how you can Volunteer with us and attend coffee mornings and Carer events to share our information, so that other Carers can benefit from our support? If this sounds like something you...
Free Winter Vaccinations for Carers

Free Winter Vaccinations for Carers

The NHS has issued its last call for people to get fully protected before the Christmas holidays begin Unpaid carers who are eligible for a free flu and Covid-19 booster vaccine are being urged to book their vaccination appointments now, to help protect themselves and...
Bronze Award

Bronze Award

Durham County Carers Support are proud to announce we have achieved Bronze Level certification in our first year of Investors in the Environment (iiE) accreditation. Our Environmental Management System offered a good look at our organisation and its environmental...
Meet Our Therapy Dog

Meet Our Therapy Dog

Bella is our Therapy Dog, in training. We are working with The Paws Therapy Dog Certification Programme to train Bella to become our Therapy Dog so that she can offer support to Carers in County Durham and Darlington. For years, it’s been proven that Animal Assisted...
Volunteer Role – Admin Support Volunteer 

Volunteer Role: Admin Support Volunteer 

Durham County Carer Support (DCCS)   Volunteer Role: Admin Support Volunteer  Reporting to: Senior Contact Team and Volunteer Project Lead  Click here to apply Purpose of the role: This role is to provide varied admin support to the whole team. The role is based in...
Men Care Too

Men Care Too

Did you know that 42% of unpaid Carers are men. Our figures show that almost half of these Carers are not getting any support. We wanted to know why men aren’t registering and we’ve found that there are lots of reason like… ‘I thought only the...
Welfare Benefit Support Volunteer Role

Welfare Benefit Support Volunteer Role

Volunteer Application Form Description of Volunteer Role Volunteer role: Welfare Benefit Support Volunteer. Reporting to: Volunteer Benefits Project Worker and the Project Lead. Purpose of the role: To support Carers with benefit application forms therefore helping to...
July 50:50 Club WINNERS!

July 50:50 Club WINNERS!

Congratulations to Ernie Hogarth who won 1st Place, Janette Metcalfe who won 2nd place and James Wilson who won 3rd place! Join our 50:50 club for just £12/year and opportunities to win every month in our draws.  
Vacancy – ‘Keeping in Touch’ Volunteer

Vacancy – ‘Keeping in Touch’ Volunteer

Volunteer application form https://forms.office.com/r/usLa9n1Ugn   Carers situations may well have altered drastically and we would like to be able to assist where we can so that Carers can get the support they need. But we cannot do this without the valued work...
DCCS staff running the Great North Run for Carers

DCCS staff running the Great North Run for Carers

Our very own Jessica is doing the Great North Run this year to help raise money for our free Counselling Services. Jessica says “I have been working at DCCS for 6 years, this is my second time running the GNR. I’m doing it this year to do my bit in helping raise...
Recognising Carers in the community

Recognising Carers in the community

Vikki Bramley, whose beauty salon, Bella Vita, is based in Shildon, is reaching out to encourage unpaid carers to sign up to the Durham County Carers Support (DCCS) scheme and access the Carer Friendly Discount Card read more…
Afternoon Tea – 2 venues FULLY BOOKED!

Afternoon Tea – 2 venues FULLY BOOKED!

Please be aware that Lumley Castle and Raby Castle are now FULLY BOOKED! We would like to invite you to afternoon tea and a tour, these events are for Carers plus one guest and are at the venues below. • Monday 5th June 11am-3.30pm Ushaw College, Ushaw Moor • Tuesday...
Carers Week Melissa Bus venues

Carers Week Melissa Bus venues

We will be travelling around different venues in County Durham to celebrate Carers week on the NHS Melissa bus. The Bridge Young Carers will be joining us at some of the venues, but if they can’t be there, we will still have information from them for you. We...
Parent Carer Champion

Parent Carer Champion

We urgently need Parent Carer Champion Volunteers. Would you like to find out more about how you can Volunteer with us and attend coffee mornings and Parent Carer events to share our information, so that other Parent Carers can benefit from our support? If this sounds...
May 2023 50:50 Club Winners

May 2023 50:50 Club Winners

May winners 1st – Ms MA Jones £113 2nd – Ann Ross £75 3rd – Susan Emms £38 Would you like the chance to win cash while helping raise money for our Carer Wellbeing Fund? Then join our 50:50 club for just £1 per month! Click HERE to join...
Instagram Links

Instagram Links

Here you will find the links for anything we have published on Instagram. Click to book or find out more: ALL Vacancies Carers Financial Wellbeing Coordinator Donate to Craig and Michael FREE Attendance Allowance and DLA training Compliments & Complaints Carer...
A Greener Charity

A Greener Charity

How you’ve helped us in our journey to going Green: May 2021 we took our first steps to become a greener charity and started to monitor our carbon footprint, one of our actions was to look at reducing resources so we set ourselves a goal to send our magazine via...
Volunteer Counsellor

Volunteer Counsellor

Volunteer Opportunity – Counsellor Wanted: Apply here Durham County Carer Support (DCCS) Volunteer Role: Volunteer Counsellor Reporting to: Volunteer Project Lead Purpose of the role: 1-1 counselling sessions with Carers Role overview: The role is open to anyone...
Money Matters

Money Matters

Our Money Matters Project is here to support Carers with any money struggles and help find ways to reduce your costs and help you budget. More information can be found here
Online support for Carers

Online support for Carers

Would you like to get online but don’t have the knowhow, connection or device? Do you have your own a device but are unsure how to use it? Do you feel left behind in the digital world? We can help you empower yourself and learn something new. You can choose how you...
Great North Run Tickets

Great North Run Tickets

Would you like to run the Great North Run for us? You will receive support and we will even help with fundraising through our social media. Tickets are on sale here
We Care That You Care Podcast

We Care That You Care Podcast

Our Podcast is available to give you an insight into Durham County Carers Support and Darlington Carers Support. We will be chatting with a variety of guests to share information and advice for Carers in County Durham and...
Christmas Opening Hours

Christmas Opening Hours

Useful Contacts If you need urgent support when we are closed, please call Social Care Direct on 03000 267 979. They can support you and the person you care for to get practical help for example through the Carers Emergency Service. For physical and mental health...
Opportunity for Carers Looking for Employment

Opportunity for Carers Looking for Employment

Are you a Carer wanting to get into or return to a supportive workplace with prospects?   For more details email admin@dccarers.org   We are working with a fantastic new scheme launched by the Civil Service to recruit unpaid family Carers into employment but initial...
Volunteer Counsellor

Volunteer Role: Parent Carer Team

PARENT CARER TEAM We urgently need temporary or long term Volunteers to join our Parent Carer Team to assist parent carers with completing DLA forms for children with disabilities.  The role requires around 2-3 hours at a time in order to complete the form. This is...
We have reached 2000 Carers in Darlington

We have reached 2000 Carers in Darlington

We are proud to announce that we have reached 2000 unpaid Carers in Darlington who have signed up for our advice and support. We are a voluntary organisation which provides free high-quality services and support to unpaid Carers over the age of 18, who support someone...
10K for 10K Sponsored Swim

10K for 10K Sponsored Swim

We are looking for swimmers who would like to help us raise money by getting involved in our sponsored swim. Register your interest here: https://forms.office.com/r/91bmZc3RM4 100% of money raised will go the the Carers Wellbeing fund! You Must be able to swim at...
National Carers Week – June 2022

National Carers Week – June 2022

A MULTITUDE of unpaid carers are being offered much-needed help by a North-East charity as the cost of living crisis pushes them deeper into poverty. A of advice and activities have been organised to mark National Carers’ Week (June 6-12) by Durham County Carers...
Carers Letter

Carers Letter

Dear Carers,   This week is Carers’ Week and on behalf of Jane Robinson, Chair of the North East Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Sam Allen, Chief Executive of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System, we wanted to take this...