Information and advice
Thanks to the team of workers at Rethink’s Advice Service for all the help and support over the past two and a half years. During this time you were there not only to give us support but you also gave us much needed guidance and advice. Without your support, I don’t know if it would have been possible for us to have got through the distress and emotional trauma we underwent… it makes such a difference to know that someone is listening.
User of the national Rethink Advice and Information Service
The Rethink Advice and Information Service (RAIS) is a unique service that fills a major gap in the information and help available to people with mental illness and their carers.
The team can provide expert advice and information on a wide range of mental health issues, as well as practical support with casework.
46% of calls to the RAIS are from carers, many of whom need money and benefits advice, and we work with Rethink’s campaigns team to promote new ways of ensuring carers are not financially disadvantaged.
We are currently running a project to promote the use of Direct Payments in mental health by promoting their use to Rethink staff and members, holding an Advice Forum and producing specialised information resources.
We also advise carers on appointeeship – the arrangement made when a person with mental illness is either unable or unwilling to apply for welfare benefits. The carer can apply to the benefits agency to become an ‘appointee’, which means they can claim benefits on behalf of the person they care for.
Despite successful campaigning, there is still very low awareness of appointeeship, which can prevent very difficult situations where the carer is supporting the person they care for on a potentially very low income.
We can also provide specialised helplines covering particular areas or for particular groups of carers or people who use our services.
