Tag Archives: ukcuts

Will you be lonely this Christmas?

December 18, 2013   Carers, Older care, ukcuts
17 December 2013 Last updated at 10:06

 

For most people this is probably the busiest time of year.Nights spent at parties and catching up with friends, culminating with a Christmas surrounded by family.

But the festive period is not like that for everyone.

Age UK estimates about 450,000 will be spending this Christmas alone.

A combination of the ageing population and the fact families are dispersed across the country – and abroad for that matter – means it is not always easy to get together.

Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, says it is a “chilling” thought, which combined with the shorter days and poorer weather, results in the festive period being one of the most vulnerable times of year for the frailest in society.

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Home care for elderly cut by 25% in five years

December 18, 2013   Carers, Older care, ukcuts

Charities say thousands are being denied dignity and peace of mind because of council spending cuts

  • Cash-strapped authorities limiting provision with tougher rules
  • Number of elderly having meals on wheels almost halved in last two years
  • Number of pensioners receiving home care dropped 12% to 385,000
  • Age UK say figures show ‘how increasingly desperate the care crisis is’

By Sophie Borland

PUBLISHED: 00:18, 18 December 2013 | UPDATED: 00:18, 18 December 2013

 

Charities said thousands of elderly and other vulnerable adults are being denied dignity and peace of mind because of council spending cuts

The number of elderly people being given state-funded care in their homes has dropped by a quarter in just five years, according to official figures.

Charities said thousands of elderly and other vulnerable adults are being denied dignity and peace of mind because of council spending cuts.

Cash-strapped authorities nationwide are limiting their provision with tougher rules on who is entitled to receive help, despite the need growing as the population ages.

A total of 1.3million people receive state-funded home help, a place in a care home or hot meals – down from 1.7million in 2007-08.

In the last two years, the number of elderly having meals on wheels has almost halved from 45,000 to 23,000.

Meanwhile there has been a 12 per cent fall in those receiving home care, from 437,000 to 385,000.

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MPs urge scrapping of ‘bedroom tax’

December 16, 2013   benefits, Carers, Scotland, ukcuts, Uncategorized

A House of Commons select committee has called on David Cameron’s Government to scrap the “bedroom tax” changes to housing benefit.

16th December 2013

The Scottish Affairs Committee said that while ministers considered whether to repeal the measure, the Government should suspend the penalty for claimants who cannot reasonably be offered alternative accommodation.

The MPs said the measure, which cuts housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have a spare room, was ” a budget cut suffered by those in greatest need”.

The interim report was opposed by Tory and Liberal Democrat MPs on the Labour-led committee, but they failed to prevent it being produced.

The Government reduced entitlement to housing benefit for working-age tenants in April 2013. Those with an extra bedroom have a reduction of 14% to their eligible rent, and those with two or more extra bedrooms lose 25%.

The Government estimated that 80,000 claimants in Scotland would be affected by the bedroom tax, with an average weekly loss of £12.

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