Carers in Bedfordshire

Carers in Bedfordshire, a registered charity founded in 2004 by Yvonne Clark, exists to empower unpaid carers of all ages and backgrounds across Bedfordshire, preventing today's carers from becoming tomorrow's cared-for through holistic practical help, advice, advocacy, information, support groups, counselling, wellbeing sessions, and grants. Starting from a backroom operation, it now aids over 10,000 carers annually—including young carers under 18, dementia carers, and former carers—with core values of compassion, lived experience (many trustees are carers), respect, safeguarding, empowerment, and collaboration. As a Carers Trust Network Partner and Carers UK affiliate, it influences policy via partnerships with local authorities, NHS, schools, and businesses, guided by a preventative, strengths-based theory of change emphasizing early intervention for carer resilience and community wellbeing.

It funds individual grants exclusively for unpaid carers' health and wellbeing needs, such as respite activities, stress-relief day trips, essential caring equipment, training for confidence or job prospects, bereavement support, and self-care events; thematic priorities include mental/physical wellbeing, dementia navigation, young carer support, benefits advice, and personal development workshops.

Grants are restricted to registered unpaid carers (from age four) living in or GP-registered to Bedford Borough or Central Bedfordshire (some services extend to Luton); charities, organisations, and paid professionals are ineligible, with no income/size rules but strict residency criteria and professional endorser required. Typical awards are up to £275 per carer or £375 per household annually.

Applications require prior online/phone registration, followed by submission via the dedicated Grant Portal (or paper form) by 4:30pm on the 15th of each month (7th in December), with monthly panel reviews and decisions in 2-3 weeks. Distinctively, it rejects core costs, projects, capital, or organisational funding, prioritising responsive, evidence-based aid shaped by carer feedback for Bedfordshire's unpaid carers at every journey stage.