A West Cumbrian charity has managed to secure £200,000 extra benefits for carers in the last 12 months.

West Cumbria Carers has helped 98 people to claim the cash they are entitled to, thanks to its clinics, which provide free information on benefits.

Gillian Walker, the charity’s carers benefit support worker, said: "Navigating your way through the benefits system understanding entitlement and completing paperwork is complicated and time consuming.

"It's a real headache for busy, stressed and unpaid carers.

"This service has supported 98 carers to access benefits they often don’t even know they're entitled to."

She added that many carers struggle financially because of the additional costs of living with illness or disability and the extra cash means they no longer worry about things like winter heating bills, food shopping or cost of care and equipment. 

She said: "Bringing £200,000 of additional money into households in West Cumbria who would otherwise struggle doesn’t just benefit the families. 

"The additional money is often spent in local communities and small businesses."

The clinics are run in partnership with libraries in Keswick and Maryport.

The project is funded by a grant from Cumbria County Council and Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group for the next two years.

To book an appointment, call Gillian on 01900 821976.