COVID-19 Support

We are deeply concerned about the significantly increased risk of abuse and neglect to the nation’s older population, as widespread lockdown and self-isolation takes effect amid the UK’s efforts to tackle the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

If you have any concerns about yourself or an older person, please call our Helpline on 0808 808 8141 – we are here to help you 9.00am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours you can leave a message.

Below we have signposted additional sources of support for yourself or any older person you may be concerned about.

General

The latest government advice can be found at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
British Sign Language versions can be found at www.signhealth.co.uk/coronavirus.

Health

There are a variety of sources of information on remaining healthy and what to do if you suspect you have COVID-19, depending on where you are based. There are lots of myths about COVID-19/Coronavirus so take care to only follow official advice.

Advice for nursing and residential care homes https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/node/43074

Scams and doorstep crime

Sadly we are aware of lots of scams that are taking advantage of vulnerable people during this time. Scams come in many formats and the following resources can help you to identify and avoid falling victim to them.

General

Recognising email scams/phishing:

If you have received a suspicious email, the following website can help you identify whether or not it is part of a scam – please note, even if this website does not flag an email as being a scam, you should proceed with caution https://coronavirusphishing.com/search/

Protecting others from scams:

Friends Against Scams have created online training, so that you can understand more about scams and help protect others from falling victim to them. https://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/training/friends-elearning

England

Citizen’s Advice Bureau - the following guide will help you to recognise and protect yourself from scams:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams/check-if-something-might-be-a-scam/

If you suspect a scam, you can contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. If you have fallen victim to a scam, you can contact the police on 101. In an emergency, always dial 999.