Compass in Cumbria - Factsheets & Guides

Getting help at home - Information Guide

This guide outlines the help you may be able to receive and signposts to relevant organisations to get personal care, adapting our home to suit our needs, or receiving benefits.

Care homes - Information Guide

This guide looks at how to find a care home, how to arrange and pay for care.

Bereavement - Information Guide

If you or someone close has suffered a bereavement, this guide offers practical and emotional support after a death.

How to be an executor - Information Guide

This guide provides a clear checklist of an executor’s duties, including how to register the death, sort out Inheritance Tax and deal with different assets.

Thinking about end of life - Information Guide

There can be many things to think about, from making a will to choosing who you would like to make decisions for you if you were no longer able to.

Avoiding scams - Information Guide

This guide offers practical tips on how to avoid a scam, including the different ways a fraudster may approach you.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender - Information Guide

Many of the issues relating to planning for later life are the same whether you are gay or straight.

Care home checklist - Information Guide

This guide helps to find out as much as you can about a home beforehand it will help you make an informed choice.

First Step

First Step is a free NHS service that provides talking therapies for common mental health problems (such as anxiety or depression) for individuals 18 years and over in Cumbria.

Breast Cancer 70

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in England with around 44,300 women diagnosed each year. The older you are, the more likely you are to get it-one in three woman who get breast cancer are aged 70 and over.

First Step - Talking Therapies

NHS Talking therapies

Pension Freedom and benefits - Factsheet

This factsheet explains some basic information about your choices with respect to drawing down pension savings. You can contact Pension Wise for information and guidance.
This factsheet sets out the impact of different choices drawing down pension funds

Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance - Factsheet

This factsheet gives information about Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a non means-tested benefit for people aged 16 to 64 who have a disability.
The factsheet also gives information about Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which is gradually being r

Challenging welfare benefit decisions - Factsheet

This factsheet explains who makes benefit decisions, how a decision can be challenged, and how to make complaints.

Equity release - Factsheet

This factsheet provides information about different types of equityrelease, such as lifetime mortgages and home reversion plans. Itincludes information on:
- what to consider before deciding on a particular plan
- equity release regulations and safegu

Benefits for people under Pension Credit age - Factsheet

This factsheet gives information about benefits for people under Pension Credit age (this is rising and is 64 and 6 months as of April 2018 and will be 65 and 3 months by April 2019). It gives information about Universal Credit and how it affects people c

Carer's Allowance - Factsheet

This factsheet explains what Carer’s Allowance is, the eligibility criteria, and how to make a claim.
It also explains how Carer’s Allowance may impact on any other benefits you or, the person you are caring for, are receiving, and what to do if you have

Social Fund, Advances of Benefit and Local Welfare Provision - Factsheet

The Social Fund is a scheme to help people with expenses that are difficult to meet from a low income and includes:
 Winter Fuel Payments
 Cold Weather Payments
 Funeral Payments.

Pension Credit - Factsheet

This factsheet explains what Pension Credit is, the eligibility criteria and how to make a claim. It explains what to do if you have a change of circumstance.

Council tax - Factsheet

This factsheet aims to help you understand
- Council Tax liability and payment
- Eligibility for Council Tax Support schemes
 -Other ways of reducing you Council Tax bill