For too long the work that carers do has gone unnoticed and unrewarded
Putting carers in the spotlight
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| Posted on 21 March 2012
Across the country there are more than six million people who give up their time to help loved ones. They might collect their medication, sort out their laundry, assist with managing their money or help them get ready in the morning. If you were to ask each of these six million about the support they provide, the vast majority would say they were just being a good relative, or neighbour, or friend. Very few would categorise themselves first and foremost as a carer.
OAPs demand NHS-style care service
Pensioners called on the government on Monday to introduce a national care service funded by general taxation along the lines of the NHS.
The new Fair Care Campaign was set up by the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) to combat the growing crisis in elderly care.
It follows numerous reports recently that have highlighted the failures in the current social care system and comes ahead of a government white paper seeking to integrate funding and commissioning between services, expected later this year.
NPC analysis revealed a postcode lottery of charges for care at home, inadequate standards in both nursing and home care, a lack of proper training and qualifications among care staff and little support for family carers.
A false separation between NHS funded medical care and means-tested social care has also removed thousands of frail elderly people from receiving free care, the NPC said.
Carers free from tax credit cuts
Plans to change tax credit entitlement that would have cost couples with disabled children up to £3,870 a year have been altered.
Plans to change tax credit entitlement that would have cost couples with disabled children up to £3,870 a year have been altered.
Millions of working low-income families can claim tax credits, in addition to some benefits.
Changes in April mean couples with children will have to work for 24 hours a week between them, not 16, in order to qualify for working tax credit.
However, the government has now made carers exempt from this change.
