CarerWatch response to Social Care White Paper

CarerWatch  members are outraged that the Coalition government has failed to address one of the most important factors of Social care, that is funding of any future system. The release of the White Paper for Social Care was akin to a damp squib. It promised so much but delivered so little.

The care system is breaking now and it was vital that this paper brought forth real solutions to real problems. By failing to explore the funding of care in full they have missed a golden opportunity to bring about true reform, and consequently have severely compromised what this White Paper will be able to achieve.

In this climate of benefit cuts, care charges increasing, tightening eligibility criteria – concerns are growing on how people will pay for their care.

This White Paper does nothing to alleviate those worries.

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Stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people, their carers and families

Sign petition here and share asking others to do same

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Reforming care and support

The most radical reform of the social care system in 64 years is announced today. The overhaul will mean people will get the care and support they need so they don’t reach crisis point. The draft Care and Support Bill consolidates a mess of different laws to, for the first time, create a single modern statute for adult care and support.

see in full here

Caring for our future: reforming care and support – White Paper

• draft Care and Support Bill
• Progress report on social care funding

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Sector slams lack of funding solution in care White Paper – Community Care

No more delays – carers cant wait –  Carers UK

Social care white paper represents massive failure – Alzheimers Society

Care costs: Charities hit out at ‘death tax’   –  The Independent

Guardian Live blog

A space to discuss the Dilnot report – funding of Care and Support

Tomorrow sees the publication of the Dilnot Commission’s report into the funding of care and support – a significant policy development for anyone interested in social care for people of all ages.

Discussion on Twitter has used the #dilnot hashtag for people’s thoughts and to share links/information regarding the Commission. ( also #carecrisis and #socialcare)

People on Twitter have built networks and will be interested in the many responses that will be published by individuals/groups/charities etc. For many time will be limited.

Therefore after a discussion among a few people who host highly respected blogs, it was agreed that ArbitraryConstant  (aka Rich Watt) would offer space, so a frank and open discussion could take place by anyone interested in social care issues.

With many thanks to @rich_w, @monstertalk and @jrfemma for their willingness to try this.

So once you have read the Dilnot report, if you want to discuss the details, please join in with the discussion here

DBC launches report into Welfare Reform Bill

Carer Watch members support this protest and some are making plans to attend

A report published today by the Disability Benefits Consortium a coalition of 41 charities and organisations shows how welfare reform changes may harm disabled people.

The report Benefiting disabled people? highlights concerns over the impact of reforms to vital benefits like Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) on thousands of disabled people and their families.

The report, presents the findings of recent surveys. The Disability Benefits Consortium surveyed 6,000 disabled people and found that:

Urgent action needed now – ‘Support families: Don’t cut care’‏

Thank you very much for signing up to our “Support families: Don’t cut care” campaign toolkit.

 

We need you to lobby your council’s budget setting meeting, write to local politicians, join up with other groups and campaign to support funding and services for families that need support with caring.

 

This February and early March, councils across the UK will be meeting to decide their budgets for the coming year. With funding from Government cut, many councils will look to cut care services to make savings.

 

The campaign toolkit includes useful tips:

• How to make the case for care
• Sample questions
• Flyers, templates for letters to councillors, your MP, the media and petitions
• A ‘Who’s, Who guide to the council
• How to use social media

Carers UK will continue to campaign and lobby but we need you to be our eyes and ears of what is happening for carers in your area. We need you to tell us about the positive things happening locally as well as your stories about the effects that the cuts or changes to local services are having on your community. Please let us know the impact of your campaigning by using the feedback form, by e-mailing us directly at info@carersuk.org or nargis.khan@carersuk.org , or by calling us on 0207 3784999.

 

Thank you

 

Nargis Khan

Carers UK   .

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 Support Families Don’t Cut Care campaign toolkit

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Petition the Minister for Disabled People to Recall the Public Consultation on DLA Reform

Have you supported this petition by The Broken Of Britain. Only one more week remaining.

We, the undersigned, urge the Minister for Disabled People to recall the Public Consultation on Disability Living Allowance (DLA) reform, and to cease work on reform of this benefit, due to serious flaws in the consultation paper. As such, the consultation questions are deeply skewed and any answers will be likely to support wholesale reform. This is both unfair and unwise, and will cause hardship for many disabled people.

Full details here

Dont Limit Mobility

Mencap, alongside 25 other charities and organisations, have launched a report to dispute the government’s argument that the mobility component of the DLA is an ‘overlap of public funds’.

You can download a copy of the report here

sign petition here

download a printed version here

Fawcett launches legal challenge to government budget

The Fawcett Society has filed papers with the High Court seeking a Judicial Review of the government’s recent emergency budget. (1)

Under equality laws, we believe the government should have assessed whether its budget proposals would increase or reduce inequality between women and men. Despite repeated requests, the Treasury have not provided any evidence that any such an assessment took place. (2)

see in full here

Your views needed re Government ‘consultations’

Carer Watch will be responding to the ‘Consultations’ below, please join our message board where debates are already taking place. Registration is needed but automatic so access to forum is immediate, wherein you can both read and post.
This is the chance to put YOUR views forward .

Register here

DWP consultation – 21st century
. This discussion document seeks views to inform our thinking on reforms to the benefits and Tax Credits system. We would like to hear from all who are interested. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, we propose to bring forward legislation early in the New Year to reform the current system

Dept of Health
Refreshing the National Carers Strategy. Minister for Care Services seeking views, by 20 September 2010, on the key priorities, supported by evidence of good practice, on what will have the greatest impact on improving carers’ lives in the next four years. All carer issues back in the melting pot.

Independent review of work capability assessment
ESA. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked Professor Malcolm Harrington to undertake an independent review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and make recommendations on the future development and efficacy of the WCA

Coalition responses

Below you can find a response to each section of The Coalition: our programme for government. These responses focus on the main themes raised in each section.

Details in full here