Ceredigion County Council

The Carer Card is for Carers. A Carer is someone who looks after a friend or family member who cannot manage on their own because they have a disability, physical or mental illness or are affected by substance or alcohol misuse.

You can apply for the Carer Card if you or the person that you care for lives in Ceredigion.

The Carer Card is not for care workers who provide care to people as their paid work.

The Carer Card has been launched in response to requests from Carers during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the early months of the pandemic, many Carers contacted Ceredigion County Council to ask for something they could use to prove that they are caring for someone.

The Carer Card shows that the cardholder is a Carer. You can use the card to show that you have caring responsibilities.

Please upload a good quality photo (head & shoulders) of yourself to be used on the card. You can ask a family member or friend to take a picture on a phone or other device. The size of your photo must not exceed 2MB if you are uploading it online.

If you are not able to upload your photo then please email a photo to connecting@ceredigion.gov.uk or phone Ceredigion County Council on 01545 574200 for help with submitting a photo.

You can post or email a photo using the address details at the end of this form. If posting a photo, you must write your name and date of birth on the back of your photo.

The photo should:

• be a recent colour photo
• be of you alone (no other people or pets)
• be taken against a pale background
• show you facing forwards with your head and shoulders in the photograph
• show your full face
• show you in the centre of the photograph
• if you wear glasses, show your eyes clearly and avoid glare on the lenses

Please be aware of the following restrictions.

Please:

• do not wear a hat or head cover unless for medical or religious reasons
• do not do not submit a photo with red eye
• do not submit a photo where you are in the distance or there are other people visible
• do not submit inappropriate or obscene images
• do not submit a photo in which you have edited to altered your appearance or which has had a filter applied to it
• do not submit an image of someone else or copyright protected images

File format

The image should be a .jpg or jpeg file and should be less than 2MB.

The Carer Card is new to Ceredigion and we are working with local businesses and other organisations to identify the benefits and discounts that having a Carer Card will give you.

The benefits and discounts listed below are currently available to Carer Card cardholders. This information will be updated as and when new benefits or discounts become available.

Free gym membership

Unpaid carers in Ceredigion now have free, unlimited access to the Council’s leisure centre facilities.

This amazing offer is for carers of all ages and includes:

• Gym membership
• Swimming
• Council run classes and activities

You must be able to produce your Carer Card, at the leisure centre, to be able to access these benefits.

Cadw - 10% off entry price

Cadw is the Welsh Government’s historic environment service responsible for caring for our historic places that inspire current and future generations. We have some of the best castles in the world in Wales and some of the most beautiful ones too. We have abbeys, churches and chapels and some of the most atmospheric ancient monuments that visitors have been seeking out for thousands of years.

We have monuments that remind us of Wales’s proud heritage as one of the first industrial nations in the world and sites that tell the stories of the medieval Welsh princes.

From 1 April 2023, get 10% off entry to some of the best visitor attractions in Wales with your Ceredigion Carers Card and Young Carers ID Card.

Read more about Cadw on the Cadw website (Link to an external website).

The Cliff Railway, Aberystwyth - Free travel

At the northern end of Aberystwyth promenade, Constitution Hill rises dramatically from the sea, providing spectacular and uninterrupted views of the town, Cardigan Bay, and on a clear day 26 mountain peaks spanning much of the length of Wales.

The most relaxing way to enjoy this majestic panorama is to travel by train on the longest funicular electric cliff railway in Britain, which has been transporting visitors to the summit since opening in 1896.

From 1 April 2023, you can travel for free on the funicular railway with your Ceredigion Carers Card and Young Carers ID Card.

Find out more, including opening times on the Cliff Railway website (Link to an external website).

Llanerchaeron - Free entry (normally £9 for adults and £4.50 for children)

Discover the elegant, Georgian villa at Llanerchaeron, complete with a walled garden, farmyard lake and wild parkland. Originally designed by the famous architect John Nash in the 1790s, the house has remained largely unaltered for over 200 years.

• Explore the servant’s courtyard
• Enjoy peaceful walks around the redbrick walled garden, ornamental lake and wild parkland
• Meet the animals in the traditional farmyard, including Welsh cobs, Welsh pigs, poultry and geese

You must be able to show your Ceredigion Carers Card or Young Carers ID Card, to get free entry into Llanerchaeron.

Find out more about Llanerchaeron, including opening times on the National Trust website (Link to an external website).

Proof of caring role when asking for free flu vaccinations

Carers are eligible for a free flu vaccination. The Carer Card can be used as proof of your caring role in order to claim your free influenza vaccinations. You can ask your GP surgery for your free influenza vaccination or your local pharmacy (not all pharmacies are providing flu vaccinations).

Free training session with Dysgu Bro

Dysgu Bro provide a range of learning opportunities for adults and young people aged 16 and over such as courses to improve IT and digital skills to creatives and lifestyle courses. The first training session of any Dysgu Bro training course is free of charge for Carer Card cardholders. For more information about training courses, visit www.dysgubro.org.uk or phone 01970 633540.

Eco Hub Aber - Half price services

Half-price services with Ceredigion Carer Card

• Hire an electric bike (normally £25 for half day)
• Book co-work/hot desk space (normally £12 for half day)
• Become an Eco Hub Aber member – see below (normally from £20 a month)

For your wellbeing, try out one of our hybrid e-bikes, a perfect way to enjoy the outdoors, with an extra pedal boost for the hills. Do a short ride locally or longer on the nature abundant national cycle route Ystywth Trail (Link to an external website).

Treat yourself to a natural, friendly, professional workspace with a sea view – book one desk or the whole space for meetings and get togethers. Town centre location with fast Wi-Fi.

If you choose to become a member this includes 2 free half days with e-bikes and 2 free half days hot desking.

To book, complete the “contact us” form (Link to an external website) or e-mail us on ecohubaber@gmail.com – subject line “Connecting Carers”.

Eco Hub Aber is a local social enterprise based at The Arcade, 5 Bath St, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 2DN, we are a place for ideas, motivation and support for local eco-actions. “An action today keeps climate change at bay.”

• The Carer Card is provided to unpaid Carers age 18 or over who live in Ceredigion or who care for someone who lives in Ceredigion.
• The Carer Card is available to members of the Carers Information Service.
• Ceredigion County Council may occasionally ask the Carer Card applicant or cardholder to provide evidence of their caring role, such as a Carers Allowance award letter, a letter from a doctor, or other appropriate evidence.
• The Carer Card is valid for 2 years from the date of issue. It is the Carer's responsibility to apply to Ceredigion County Council to renew the card.
• Use of the card is subject to these terms and conditions.
• Carers whose caring role has ended must notify Ceredigion County Council that they are no longer a Carer but may carry on using the card for a further 3 months then the card must be returned to Ceredigion County Council.
• Carer Cards are issued with photographic identification, a reference number and an expiry date. The Carer Card is used for identification purposes and should only be used by the card holder in conjunction with any discount or service offered.
• Ceredigion County Council reserve the right to change the appearance and conditions of the Carer Card, or withdraw the Carer Card Scheme at any time.
• If you have lost or misplaced your Carer Card, please contact Ceredigion County Council on 01545 574200 and a replacement card can be issued. There may be a small charge for issuing replacement cards.
• Ceredigion County Council reserve the right to change the terms and conditions of this agreement at any time. If we do so, we will notify you in writing at least 30 days before making any such changes, providing details of the changes made.

I am a Carer so do I have to apply for a Carer Card?

No, you do not have to apply for a Carer Card if you don’t want to. It is optional.

I already have a Carers Emergency Card, does this card replace it?

The Carers Card does not replace the Carers Emergency Card at the moment but this may change in the future.

If you do not have Carers Emergency Card or a contingency plan, please contact Social Care Porth Gofal on 01545 574000 for more information.

Do I need to live with the person I care for to apply for a Carer Card?

No, you do not need to live with the person that you care for. Either you or the person you care for must live in Ceredigion.

Do I need to be a member of the Ceredigion Carers Information Service to apply for a Carer Card?

Yes, you do need to be a member of the Carers Information Service to apply for a Carer Card. You can join the Carers Information Service when you apply for the card.

I don’t receive Carers Allowance, can I still apply for the card?

Yes, you can still apply for a Carer Card if you don’t receive Carers Allowance.

Is the Carer Card free?

Yes, the Carer Card is free of charge.

I live on the border of Ceredigion, in Carmarthenshire or Pembrokeshire and so does the person that I care for but we use services and shop in Ceredigion. Can I apply for a Carers Card?

Unfortunately, you cannot apply for a Carer Card in Ceredigion because you or the person that you care for must live in Ceredigion to apply for a Carer Card. However, we are working with Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire County Councils, retailers and service providers to ensure that in the future, cards carried by Carers across the Hywel Dda region are all equally recognised and cardholders have access to the same benefits. We hope that we will get agreement from all to say that if you have a Carer Card issued by Carmarthenshire or Pembrokeshire County Councils, you will be able to access the same benefits in Ceredigion as a Carer that holds a Carer Card issued in Ceredigion, and vice versa.

What if I no longer care for somebody?

If your caring role has ended, you must notify Ceredigion County Council that you are no longer a Carer. You can carry on using the card for a further 3 months then the card must be returned to Ceredigion County Council.

There are other Carers in my household, can one card be issued to a household or family?

No, each Carer who wants to have a card must apply for their own card.

How long is the Carer Card valid for?

The Carer Card is valid for 2 years and it is your responsibility as the cardholder to renew it.

What do I do when my Carer Card has expired?

If you wish to renew your Carer Card please email connecting@ceredigion.gov.uk. Please state your Carer Card ID number and advise if your details have changed i.e. address or contact number since your card was last issued.

You can contact Ceredigion Carers and Community Support using the contact details below for more information:

Phone: 01545 574200
Email: connecting@ceredigion.gov.uk