What happens when you are ‘prepared to care’

All this week there have been events round the country for Carers Week, details can be found here. It is a time when media also carry many articles , and the hope is that by raising awareness further afield, more people will identify themselves as carers and receive valuable advice, information and support. These can also be obtained from CarersUK  and Carers Trust

It is vital, especially in this economic climate, that carers and their families are armed with as much information as possible. Much which is needed to fight bureaucracy.

Benefits system  – may need support to navigate this system, for those we care for, as well as ourselves.

Carers Allowance – was totally ignored in the recent Welfare reforms.

Employment Support Allowance system is a nightmare when we have reams and reams of reports from drs/consultants but then we need PROVE again to DWP.

( see Carole’s story here )

Possible loss of Carers Allowance  as a result of the introduction of Personal Independence Payment  ( see here )

Government want carers to carry on working but the steps they are taking will result in opposite. Care criteria tightened to such a point that carers dont have a choice but to give work up.

Loss of independent living fund will result many disabled people losing independence and one of the avenues will be to return to family home which neither they or family want for a variety of reasons  ( see comment from Linda Burnip here)

Bedroom tax – many carers need extra room for a variety of reasons. Depending on ilness/disability some partners sleep in seperate rooms. Others have a lot of equipment to store. Family members can stay over to help with respite. Some children with disabilities are unable to share bedrooms with siblings.

Respite places are decreasing in numbers

………. and so the list goes on.

There are far too many changes/cuts, too fast and too deep. The brakes need applied as soon as possible before the crash happens and even more carers reach breaking point

Many individuals, groups, charities, academics have taken their grave concerns to the Coalition government, yet foolishly, time and time again, they are ignored.

If you are a carer, someone with an illness/disability, or someone not affected as yet (but you may be in the blink of an eye)  – sign this WOW petition here  – which calls on the government to carry out a Cumulative Impact Assessment of all these changes which are hitting many carers and their families several times over.

This government, and all parties, must stand by their duty of care to disabled people and their carers

Disabled people to lose £28.3 billion of support by 2018

 

• Thousands of disabled people will be hit simultaneously by up to six different welfare cuts
• Disabled people will lose £28.3 billion of support by 2018
• Up to 3.7 million disabled people affected in total
• Demos calls on the Government to publish the cumulative impact of multiple cuts to benefits
• Scope asks where disabled people fit in to Chancellor’s ‘aspiration nation’

 

for full details and the report, please see here

Update – Campaign for Benefit Justice

.Come and have your say (details here)

7pm   Thursday 14^th February 2013

at Camden Town Hall, Council Chamber

Judd St, WC1H 9JE

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UPDATE

Further information received. Please share with your networks.

Campaign for Benefit Justice

Cuts in benefit are an unjust attack on the poor and they must stop. People are already being driven into debt, hunger and homelessness. From April millions more will be hit by the Bedroom tax, cuts in council tax benefit, ending Disability Living Allowance and further vicious cuts. In one of the richest countries in the world, the rise of food banks, destitution and poverty is not acceptable. People receiving benefits did not cause the banking and economic crisis and we do not accept them being scapegoated to pay for it.

The Campaign for Benefit Justice, a network of grassroots campaigns fighting the Tory attacks invites

The Great Disability Scam? Panorama 28th Jan BBC1 8.30pm

Many thanks to the team at WOWPetition for sending us these details

WATCH HERE  –  Monday 28th Jan 20:30 BBC One

Duration: 30 minutes

Only half of all people with a disability are in work. Panorama investigates if one of the government’s most ambitious welfare reforms, costing billions of pounds, can solve the problem of disability unemployment. Reporter Sam Poling reveals the private companies who are getting rich from the new reforms despite only being able to get a small fraction of disabled people back to work, and speaks to the charities who feel the most vulnerable in our society are being failed

They have suggested those on twitter use the hashtags  #BBCPanorama and/or #Panorama. Also to include their petition link – http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43154

Follow the programme    @BBCPanorama

Follow the Panorama blog too here

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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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Work Capability Assessment – Year 3 call for evidence

As part of his third independent review of the Work Capability Assessment, Professor Harrington has launched a call for evidence.

He is particularly interested in views and evidence about the implementation of his recommendations and any changes to:

• communications.
• face-to-face assessment.
• decision making.

Who this call for evidence is aimed at

This call for evidence is aimed at individuals and organisations who have information that is relevant to how the Work Capability Assessment is operating and what further changes, if any, are needed to improve the process.

We have sent this call for evidence document to a large number of people and organisations who have previously been involved in this work or who have expressed an interest. Please do share this document with, or tell us about, anyone you think will want to be involved in this call for evidence.

see in full here

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Please sign Pats Petition  here and ask others to do the same.

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Interview with Chief Executive Carers Northumberland – GoodcauseTV

Video of interview with Sandi Downing, Chief Executive, Carers Northumberland

Watch here

For support and advice

Carers UK

Finding help where you live

Carers Trust

Online campaigners

CarerWatch discussion forum

Carers forum on Facebook

Northumberland Disability and Deaf Network

VIGIL TO SHOW SUPPORT OF APPLICATION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF WCA‏

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THE MENTAL HEALTH RESISTANCE NETWORK WILL BE HOLDING A VIGIL OUTSIDE THE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE ON FRIDAY 29 JUNE

On Friday 29 June there will be a hearing in the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London, where a judge will decide whether to grant permission for a judicial review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) as it affects people with mental health problems. The WCA is being used to harass and remove benefits from people in mental distress, leading many to contemplate suicide: some, we believe, have already taken their own lives.

The MHRN is supporting the application for judicial review and is organising a vigil outside the court on the day. The vigil will be peaceful and will serve to show our solidarity with all people living with mental health difficulties who are in the firing line of Tory brutality.

We won’t know until the day before what time the case will be heard so we are asking people to arrive outside the courts at 11.00am on the 29th. Bring banners if you wish, but the vigil will be conducted in a spirit of respect for the court.

Please spread word of the vigil as widely as possible

 MHRN VIGIL

29TH JUNE 2012    TIME 11 a.m.

Venue – 

ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE

STRAND

LONDON

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** please sign Pat’s Petition

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

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Barking and Dagenham Against the Cuts – community conference

received from Anna…………

Hi everyone,I wanted to let you all know about Barking and Dagenham Against the Cuts, and a community conference we are having on Saturday 9 June to bring people together who want to fight the cuts and defend public services and welfare.

Do you, or anyone you know, live or work in Barking and Dagenham? It would be great if you could get involved and come to the conference – and spread the word.We are also looking for people to contribute to informal workshops on the issues of benefits, the NHS and housing. This would mean talking about their experiences of campaigning on these issues – to help participants in the workshops/ conference develop plans for local action.

Would you or anyone else you know be happy to do this? If so, please get in touch!  More information can be found on our website:   (a work in progress – and quite psychadelic at the moment!).

Please let me know if you have any questions/ comments/ suggestions.

Thanks!

Anna

anna.wolmuth@gmail.com

Further details of speakers can be found here

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Also sign this petition and share as wide as possible asking others to do the same.

Pats Petition  background here

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20968

 

Disabled People Against Cuts – protest April 18th

Disabled people Against Cuts

April 18th meet for 1.30 pm McDonalds Leicester Square.

Let us have text contact details if definitely coming. Access needs if any too.

Action will be around benefit cuts, care funding and Loss of Remploy jobs.

this affects older people too so bring your grannies and grandads too.

Contact mail@dpac.uk.net

Press release

Photo opportunity. Meet Leicester Square McDonalds, 1.30pm

DISABLED PEOPLE REFUSE TO SIT BACK AND BE SLOWLY KILLED

Already three-quarters of disabled people live in poverty yet the Condems seem determined to push people even further into destitution. It seems that this is a means of punishing them for daring to be or become disabled – something that can happen to anyone at anytime. This is part of the new economy and Condem society of Britain.

Linda Burnip co-founder of DPAC says  “If cuts to benefits don’t kill you slowly by leaving you starving or freezing to death in winter then massive cuts to care and support funding should finish off those Maria Miller, the so-called minister for disabled people, calls “unsustainable” a bit faster. “

Campaigners say disabled people are being unfairly picked on because they are seen as an easy target by millionaire politicians and the ex-banker Lord Freud in particular.

Disability benefits designed to pay the extra costs of disability and originally awarded for a lifetime term are being reassessed. Many who were certified by medically qualified and independent doctors are losing their meagre incomes to politically appointed and performance incentivised ATOS assessors.

Huge increases to hate crimes, cuts in housing benefits, cuts in public services, the closure of the Independent Living Fund, job losses in the public sector, closure of Remploy factories when unemployment is at a record high the list of attacks is endless.

Debbie Jolly another co-founder of DPAC says: “Disabled people will be descending on London again to tell all politicians we’ve had enough. We are fed up with being vilified as scroungers by successive governments, we are sick of hearing about disabled people who have died from neglect and lack of services or who have committed suicide because services and benefits were withdrawn from them. Debbie from Leicester says: “Disabled people will be descending on London again to tell all politicians we’ve had enough. We are fed up with being vilified as scroungers by successive governments, we are sick of hearing about disabled people who have died from neglect and lack of services or who have committed suicide because services and benefits were withdrawn from them. We are angry at the constant attacks by this government  because we are seen as an easy target .We want to make sure politicians know we will not accept these attacks on our lives any longer. “

ENDS

Contact-  Linda 0771 492 7533 or Adam 07801058235

Notes to editors:

Data from Family Resources Survey and the National Equalities Panel found that:

• 75% of disabled women and 70% of disabled men are already at the bottom end of Britain’s income distribution scale living in poverty.

• A tenth of disabled woman have incomes below £31 per week and a tenth of disabled men have incomes below £59 per week including earned income and benefits.

• Under the coalition government’s economy drive disabled people are set to lose at least £140 per month through direct cuts to disability benefits (initially devised to pay the extra costs of being disabled) alone.

• The Condems are removing DLA saying that the number of claimants must be reduced by half a million.

• Employment Support Allowance and work capability assessments have been criticised by CAB, disability charities and Disabled People’s Organisations. ATOS healthcare failures are costing £50 million in additional appeal tribunal costs.

• Housing Benefits for all tenants will be reduced. From October 2011 for those 2 million disabled people living in private rented accommodation and from 2013 for anyone living in social housing which is deemed too large for their needs

• Added to that funding from the Independent Living Fund for care and support has now ceased to all new claimants and any additional needs cannot be met by them

Extra costs of disability to individuals

A Rowntree report (2004) found that the weekly income of disabled people who are solely dependent on benefits is approximately £200 below the amount required for them to ensure an acceptable, equitable quality of life’

However, even if receiving maximum benefits, disabled people still experience a substantial shortfall in income. The income of disabled people solely dependent on benefits, irrespective of the type or level of their need, is approximately £200 less than the weekly amount required for them to ensure a minimum standard of living.

Source: Disabled people’s costs of living: ‘More than you would think’ (2004) by Noel Smith, Sue Middleton, Kate Ashton-Brooks, Lynne Cox and Barbara Dobson with Lorna Reith, is published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (ISBN 1 85935 236 7,

Employment

The employment rates of disabled people are around 48% compared with around 78% of non-disabled people Source Labour Force Survey, Quarter 2,2010

 Only 20% of those with mental health problems are in employment- Source- Labour Force Survey, Jan-March 2009.

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. Please click here to sign Pat’s Petition  which calls on the government to –

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

Once you have signed share it with all your contacts asking them to sign and pass on too.

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

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