Signpost For Carers

What Signpost For Carers does

Signpost for Carers is an independent local charity and Company Limited by Guarantee (Company No. 4176004, Charity No. 1085727), founded in 1994 and headquartered at The Heatons Centre in Stockport, Greater Manchester. It supports unpaid carers across two primary segments — Adult Carers (18+) and Young Carers (aged 6-25) — through a portfolio of services including Carer's Assessments, benefits and financial advice (Money Wise), counselling, emotional support, a Take a Break respite service, and the Connecting Carers Card. The Young Carers programme works directly with all schools in Stockport via assemblies, staff training, and drop-ins, and the organisation also runs specialised support for LGBTQ+ carers and former carers transitioning out of a caring role. The core delivery model is human-led, in-person and telephone-based, with digital channels (Microsoft Teams, Zoom) used for remote counselling and peer groups.

The charity operates as a service organisation rather than a technology platform. Its infrastructure is built on standard third-party tools: a WordPress website for information and self-referral, Hallmaster for room bookings, JustGiving and EasyFundraising for donations, and integration with Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council's LiquidLogic system for statutory Carer's Assessment data. The Heatons Centre building is itself monetised through room hire (Basement, Maple, Willow, Sycamore rooms) at £16-£26/hour, supplementing the charitable income. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on referrals from GPs, schools, Stepping Hill Hospital, and social services, augmented by an organic social media presence (1.4K Instagram followers, active Facebook and LinkedIn).

Revenue is diversified across donations and fundraising, grant funding from bodies including Answer Cancer, NW Hearts, and the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer Stockport VCFSE Work & Skills Fund, corporate partnerships (John Lewis & Partners, Vernon Building Society, Co-op Local Community Fund, Stockport County FC), training fees for Think Carer CPD-accredited courses (£35/person), counselling suggested contributions (£25/session), event donations, and room hire. Most services are free at the point of use, with a stated policy that no one is turned away for inability to pay. Leadership transitions in 2024-2025 — including a new CEO, Deputy CEO, and dedicated Fundraising Manager — point to a more professionalised fundraising and operating function.

Name

Signpost For Carers

Legal name

Signpost for Carers

Website

https://signpostforcarers.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Signpost for Carers is an independent Stockport-based charity founded in 1994 that provides counselling, benefits advice, respite, and assessment services to unpaid adult and young carers in Greater Manchester.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charity Carer Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Caregiver Support, Coaching & Training (HLADALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Respite Caregiver Staffing & Coverage (HSABAMAF)

Keywords

• Carer support services
• Respite care
• Charity counselling
• Benefits advice
• Workplace carer training

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockport

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The charity relies on financial contributions from individuals and organizations. Donations can be made via JustGiving, bank transfer, or post. Easy Fundraising partnerships allow supporters to generate donations when shopping online.
2. Room Hire: The Heatons Centre generates income through hiring out multiple rooms (Basement Room at £25/hour, Maple Room at £16/hour, Willow Room at £22/hour, Sycamore Room at £26/hour) to community groups and organizations. All revenue supports the charity's work with carers.
3. Think Carer Training: CPD-accredited workplace training at £35 per person for individuals, with bespoke sessions available for organizations. Funded training available through Economic Inactivity Trailblazer Stockport VCFSE Work & Skills Fund.
4. Counselling Services Contribution: A suggested donation of £25 per session is requested to keep counselling services sustainable (£150 for 6 sessions in advance). Cost to deliver is £50 per session. Sliding scale available for those unable to pay.
5. Event Donations: Suggested donations for activities and events (e.g., £3 Walk to Fitness, £12.50 boat trips, £5 arts and crafts) help sustain services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Signpost For Carers is an independent local charity providing direct support services to unpaid carers in Stockport. Its core offerings span adult carer support, young carer services (ages 6-25), counselling, Carer's Assessments, benefits and financial advice (Money Wise), respite through the Take a Break service, and the Connecting Carers Card. It also offers the CPD-accredited Think Carer workplace training and hires out rooms at The Heatons Centre to community groups.

Product overview

Signpost For Carers is an independent local charity offering a comprehensive suite of support services for unpaid carers in Stockport. The portfolio includes core services for Adult Carers (support services, counselling, Carer's Assessments, Money Wise benefits advice, emotional support, and the Connecting Carers Card) and Young Carers Services (targeting children and young adults aged 6-25, with school support, groups, activities, and one-to-one work). Additional services include the Take a Break respite service, LGBTQ+ Carers Support, Former Carers Support, Think Carer workplace training, and Room Hire at The Heatons Centre. The organisation operates as a single unified charitable service rather than a platform architecture, with services funded through donations and fundraising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Carers Support Services Core support service for adult unpaid carers (18+) providing emotional support, practical assistance, benefits advice, counselling, and connection to community resources.
• Young Carers Services Support services for children and young adults aged 6-25 who provide unpaid care for family members with illness, disability, mental health problems, or drug and alcohol issues. Includes school support, respite groups, one-to-one work, family assessments, short breaks, activities, and young carer volunteer opportunities.
• Take a Break Service Respite service providing up to 6 hours of respite care for registered carers, enabling them to attend appointments, activities, or events while their cared-for person is supported by Care Your Way.
• Counselling Service Accessible and affordable talking therapy for active carers, offering six 1-hour sessions delivered via telephone, Microsoft Teams, in-person, or Walk and Talk format. Suggested donation of £25 per session (£150 for 6 sessions in advance).
• Carer's Assessments Formal assessment service delivered on behalf of the council to understand how caring affects a carer's life and wellbeing, and identify support needed.
• Money Wise Benefits and financial advice service helping carers navigate disability benefits and social care systems, with home visits available to assist with benefit applications.
• Emotional Support Listening and support service providing a non-judgmental space for carers to share emotional burdens and access trained counsellor referrals.
• Connecting Carers Card Photo ID card for registered carers to alert others to their caring role and provide emergency contact information for the person they care for.
• LGBTQ+ Carers Support Specialised support services for LGBTQ+ carers, connecting them with community resources and providing a welcoming environment.
• Former Carers Support Transitional support service for up to three months after caring ends, offering information, bereavement support, and connection to community services.
• Think Carer Training CPD accredited training course designed to help individuals become Carer Champions in workplaces and communities, teaching identification and support of unpaid carers. £35 per person for a 2-hour course.
• Room Hire Venue hire service at The Heatons Centre offering four meeting rooms (Basement, Maple, Willow, Sycamore) for community groups and organisations. Revenue supports the charity's carer services.
• Young Carers School Support Service School outreach service raising awareness of young carers, delivering assemblies, staff training, and drop-in sessions across Stockport schools.
• Young Carers Groups and Activities Age-appropriate groups and activities for young carers aged 6-25, including Wednesday Group, Thursday Group, Short Breaks, Days Out, and one-to-one support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 unpaid carers registered for support in 2021
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FORWARDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Stockport organisation providing a visible and dedicated safe space for LGBT+ folks. Signpost works closely with FORWARD to support LGBTQ+ carers, including virtual socials during pandemic with mindfulness, quizzes, and speakers.
• Care Your WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred supplier for the Take a Break service, providing up to 6 hours of respite care. Contacted by Signpost to arrange care for the person being cared for, enabling carers to attend appointments or activities.
• Easy FundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline shopping donation scheme with over 3,000 retailers. When supporters shop through easyfundraising.org.uk, retailers donate to Signpost at no extra cost to the shopper.
• LGBT FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organisation offering Rainbow Brew Buddies service - weekly phone calls with trained volunteer buddies for LGBT individuals experiencing loneliness. Signpost refers carers to this service.
• The Proud TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManchester-based LGBT+ organisation supporting young people through youth groups, mentoring, and Proud Connections chat service. Also helps schools become more LGBT+ inclusive.
• Stepping Hill HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital discharge worker based at Stepping Hill, identifying and supporting carers during hospital discharge process, completing carers assessments and providing guidance.
• Greater Manchester Dementia UnitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline peer support group for LGBTQ+ individuals caring for someone with dementia, meeting monthly on Zoom.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crossroads Care: National UK charity providing respite breaks and support for unpaid carers through local schemes, directly comparable to Signpost's Take a Break respite service and carer support model.
• Carers UK: UK national membership charity for unpaid carers, providing information, advice, and policy advocacy. Carers UK competes with Signpost in workplace training, benefits advice (analogous to Money Wise), and policy-driven visibility, and is a likely competitor for employer training contracts under Carer's Leave Act 2024.
• Young Carers ID: UK charity specifically supporting young carers through identification, training, and awareness in schools and communities, closely overlapping with Signpost's Young Carers School Support Service and groups for ages 6-25.
• Carers in Herts: County-level charity providing Carer's Assessments, information, training, and breaks for unpaid carers in Hertfordshire. Closely mirrors Signpost's model in a different UK geography, demonstrating the replicable local-carer-charity template.
• Carers Trust: National UK charity network supporting unpaid carers through local partner organizations, offering services, advice, and breaks similar to Signpost's core suite. Carers Trust's network model (with local partners delivering services) makes it the closest national analog and potential partner/competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Mind: National mental health charity providing information, support, and counselling services. Overlaps with Signpost's Counselling Service and Emotional Support product lines and competes for similar grant funding pools.
• Alzheimer's Society: National UK charity supporting people affected by dementia and their carers, offering information, support services, and helplines. Wider disease-specific remit than Signpost but overlapping service lines for family carers, especially via the Greater Manchester Dementia United partnership Signpost participates in.

Regional players

• Together Dementia Support: Manchester-area dementia support charity offering wellbeing services and carer support groups for people affected by dementia. Operates in the same Greater Manchester geography with overlapping carer beneficiary base.
• Age UK Stockport: Local Stockport branch of Age UK providing services and information for older people and their carers in the same geography. Overlapping beneficiary base with Signpost and competes for council contracts, volunteers, and donations locally.

Emerging players

• Making Space: UK charity providing health and social care services including carer support, dementia care, and learning disability support. Overlaps with Signpost's care-coordination and family support services across multiple regions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Signpoststockport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/signpost-for-carers
• Instagraminstagram.com/signpostcarers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Signpost For Carers