Category Archives: mental health

Why digital exclusion is a social care issue

As our society becomes increasingly digitalised, figures reveal a large proportion of those not online have a disability or are elderly

 

A large proportion of those not online are elderly.

Next year the welfare system will undergo an overhaul as universal credit is introduced. The benefit, replacing six others, includes a new requirement to apply for benefits online. With millions of people having never used the internet, however, it raises the question of how those not online will manage.

Universal credit is just one example of how, as our society becomes increasingly digitalised, those who are not online are at risk of becoming excluded. And it’s not just a case of people opting not to be online.

This year there were 3.91 million disabled adults who had never used the internet, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. This is just under half of the 7.82 million adults who had never used the internet. Ian Lyons, from the Shaw Trust, which supports disabled and disadvantaged people live more independently, says many websites are not accessible for people with a disability.

Wrong that carers feel hidden and neglected

The government’s care minister says more must be done to help young adults who look after unwell or disabled relatives.

 

Norman Lamb was quizzed for Newsbeat by 18-year-old Pippa Haines from Southampton, who’s been a carer since she was four.

The Liberal Democrat said: “You should be open about it [caring], proud of it, and supported in doing it.

“We’ve got to escape from this sense that you feel hidden and neglected.”

Pippa took a list of points to the minister that were raised by young adult carers in Radio 1 Stories: Keeping Mum, broadcast on Radio 1 on 8 October.  Rebekah Clark, 21, with disabled older sister Ashleigh

She told him the list “includes more support in schools and colleges”.

Incredible burden

He replied: “We’ve established a £127m fund which goes to colleges and further education, to support learning. Young carers can apply for that.

Mental health ‘costs UK £105bn pa’

Norman Lamb said mental illness is ‘ignored too often’ by the political classes

The Government must go further in prioritising mental health services and addressing under-provision in the sector, Liberal Democrats have agreed.

Delegates at the party’s autumn conference in Brighton backed a motion calling on the coalition to ensure mental health policies were being implemented on the ground.

Norman Lamb, newly appointed Minister for Care Services, spoke of the “vast” cost to society and the economy of mental illness, saying the issue was “ignored too often” by the political classes.