Category Archives: Carers

Encouraging ‘Young Carers’ Is Unacceptable

November 21, 2013   Carers, young carers

  The carers movement talk about how much money they have saved the government

Over the last decade there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people who are regarded or regard themselves as carers, due to a strong carers movement that has the support of this government. Those who were regarded as spouses, parents and siblings are now just regarded as carers, and while family members may sometimes be wrong, society believes carers always know best, even when it is far from the case.

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MP calls for legislation to protect sibling carers

November 21, 2013   Carers, family

The Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP

21 November 2013

The Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP, who was brought up by his sister from the age of 13 following their mother’s death, has called for legislation to improve the situation of brothers and sisters who care for their siblings in the absence of a parent. In Britain it is estimated there are over 45,000 siblings raising their younger brothers and sisters. In some cases this is as a result of parental death, or because of parental imprisonment, mental illness, drug and alcohol misuse or domestic violence – or a combination of these factors.

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The kidney patient subject to bedroom tax – even if room is used for dialysis machine

November 19, 2013   Carers, kidney disease

Plight of MP’s brother raises questions about fairness of controversial welfare reform

Emily Dugan Tuesday 19 November 2013

It has been 30 years since Rivers Pound moved into his specially adapted council flat in Earl’s Court, west London. The 55-year-old has been on and off dialysis since his first kidney failure at 19, and his flat was one of three in the block designed with its own dialysis room, part of a council scheme to house residents with renal problems.

Then, in April, the Coalition introduced its welfare reforms and everything changed. Although Rivers’s body was rejecting a third transplanted kidney, he was not on dialysis at that moment and so the room that housed his equipment was deemed surplus to requirements.

According to the inflexible rules of the under-occupancy policy known as the “bedroom tax”, he had to find another £120 a month for this “spare” room – or find a new home.

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