Tag Archives: carers
Personal Independence Payment could change blue badge eligibility
Blue badge ‘life line’ could be taken away
February 11, 2013
A mum of two autistic children has condemned plans by the Government which will make it tougher for her to gain a disabled blue badge.
Under new Government welfare reforms the parking concession permits will be linked to a new personal independence payment (PIP) which will replace disability living allowance (DLA) in April.
This has a much narrower criteria for eligibility which will make it increasing difficult for people with autism and their carers to get a blue badge, even those assessed as having mobility needs.
Jo-Anna Dem, 45, of Carsdale Close, Coley Park, fears losing the badge which she claims has been a lifeline in caring for her autistic sons Adama, aged 10, and eight-year-old Gabriel.
Thousands more people will have to pay Inheritance tax
Social care: Inheritance tax freeze expected
Under the proposals, the state would cover the cost of care above £75,000Thousands more people will have to pay inheritance tax to help fund long-awaited social care reforms in England, ministers will announce on Monday.
The inheritance tax threshold is to be frozen at £325,000 for individuals and £650,000 for couples for three years from 2015.
That will help to fund plans including an expected cap of £75,000 on the costs people in England have to pay for care.
Campaigners say higher taxes have been introduced “by the back door”.
The cost of social care in old age
9 February 2013 Last updated at 19:09
Social care cap ‘to be set at £75,000’
The cap would mean no one in England will have to pay more than £75,000 for their care in old ageElderly people in England will not have to pay more than £75,000 for long-term social care after 2017, the health secretary is expected to say on Monday.
The cost of any care above that amount would be paid for by the state.
The figure is much higher than that recommended by the Dilnot report, which said any cap should be set at £35,000.
The BBC also understands the threshold for means-tested support, for those unable to pay their contribution, will rise to about £110,000.
Reform of social care has been the objective of successive governments but only limited changes have taken place and cross-party talks broke down.
Full details of the agreement are set to be revealed in Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s statement to the Commons.
The £75,000 cap is thought to only cover the cost of care, bought at local authority prices.
