Tag Archives: carers
More concern for the family carer!
Thousands of carers set to lose benefits
Thousands of carers in England, Wales and Scotland are set to lose benefits when new disability-claim rules start.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says 5,000 carers currently eligible for a £58.45 a week allowance will no longer be when personal independence payments replace the disability living allowance this April.
It says the changes are necessary and 20,000 additional carers should gain.
Charity Carers UK says this is “cold comfort” to those who will miss out.
Unpaid Family carers ‘at breaking point’
Family carers ‘at breaking point’
Mencap ambassador Jo Whiley called for help to provide short breaks for carers
The majority of people who care for disabled family members have reached “breaking point”, a charity has warned.
Mencap said that eight in 10 people who care for loved ones with a learning disability feel they do not get the respite or support they need.
Despite the Government allocating funds for carers to have short breaks from their caring responsibilities, the money was not ring-fenced and is being spent elsewhere, the learning disability charity said.
Half the councils across England have cut short break services so carers are not getting any time to themselves, the charity’s report Short Breaks states.
Much more needs to be done to meet the growing need for good quality and affordable care.
Church gives cautious welcome to adult care reforms
Posted: Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 14:42 (GMT)
The social action arm of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has welcomed the cap on adult social care costs and the extension of the means-testing threshold.
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced in Parliament yesterday that a ‘cost gap’ of £75,000 in care costs would be introduced, with the state stepping in after this point.
The current means-testing threshold for people to be eligible for state-funded social care will be extended from £23,520 to £123,000.
