Category Archives: Older care

Preventative care for elderly under threat, survey suggests

December 10, 2012   Carers, Older care, ukcuts

Services have been cut or frozen by two-thirds of local councils since coalition came to power, according to ComRes study

Cuts

Three-quarters of councillors who had had their budget reduced say the cuts mean that elderly and vulnerable local residents are now at greater risk. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA

Personal care services that help elderly people remain living in their own homes have been cut or frozen by two-thirds of local councils since the coalition came to power, a survey shows.

When 435 local councillors in England were asked about social care provision in their area, 64% said their council had reduced or kept funding the same since May 2010 for preventative care and those classed as having low-level needs .

A third (151) had seen their local budget cut, with reductions averaging 16%. Among those councillors, 76% said the cuts meant that elderly and vulnerable local residents were now at greater risk, while the same number admitted they were worried about the welfare of such people. And 69% said people in need would now not receive the help and support they needed.

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Cash-strapped customers can buy Christmas card stamps at reduced prices under new Royal Mail scheme

December 8, 2012   Carers, family, Older care

Cash-strapped customers can now buy their Christmas card stamps at reduced prices under a new scheme from the Royal Mail.

By Laura Pullman

PUBLISHED: 01:14, 5 December 2012 | UPDATED: 13:51, 5 December 2012

 

Helping hand: Leaflets have already been sent to every home in the UK explaining who is eligible, along with a voucher

Cash-strapped customers can now buy their Christmas card stamps at reduced prices under a new scheme from the Royal Mail.

The Christmas stamp scheme allows those in receipt of Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit or Unemployability Supplement to buy up to 36 first and second-class stamps at 2011 prices — 46p and 36p.

So, if you brought 36 first-class stamps with the scheme, you would make a saving of £5.04.

Helping hand: Leaflets have already been sent to every home in the UK explaining who is eligible, along with a voucher

However, you can receive the discount over only one transaction. The scheme runs until December 24.

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Families face choice between food and heating, warn charities

December 6, 2012   Carers, disability, family, fuel poverty, Older care, poverty, ukcuts

By Gabriella Jozwiak, Thursday 06 December 2012

Families on benefits could be forced to choose between paying for food and heating, as a result of measures announced in the autumn statement, children’s charities have warned.

Children and young people’s organisations warned that families would be hit by the real-terms cuts to working-age benefits and tax credits.

Jobseeker’s Allowance, income support and child tax credit are among the working-age benefits that will increase by just one per cent over the next three years, equating to a real-terms cut, given that inflation is currently running at more than two per cent.

The Children’s Society suggested the one per cent cap would mean an unemployed, lone parent with one child and no other income will only receive about £4 more each month after housing costs in 2015.

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