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New Deal for Carers - your voice counts

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1. Cheryl Moncrieffe says: Lone parent carers should not have to go through the embarasment of explaining every detail of their childs disability in an open plan public benefits office every time they are called for a "new deal for lone parents interview" currently about every three to six months. to someone with no medical knowledge who is only interested in getting the lone parent off income support. Carers of this nature should be exempt from this indignity and have the value of their role recognised by the DWP. I am sure I speak for many who would give up their I.S tomorrow to have a healthy able bodied child and the ability to work to support thier family.
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2. Pat Clark says: Grandparent carers are not even recognised as carers. We take on the role for the same reasons that children are taken into care. Often Social Services\ ask us to take on the role. We need proper financial support, not a discretionary grant which is rarely given. We need practical support - we are dealing with children who have suffered trauma & we ourselves are probably dealing with that same problem eg illness or death of the natural mum (our child) or drugs/alcoholism/prison etc. If we don't take on the role we will probably lose our andchildren altogether as they are adopted away.
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3. Mavis says: As disabled people grow older they need greater attention so why does the government withdraw Carers Allowance when the Carer draws state pension. They should continue to recieve it for the lifetime of the disabled person. I'm tired of politicians saying how great we are but then withdrawing financial assistance to the elderly.
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4. John Bangs says: The Health and Safety Exec are having a campaign about safer backs for employed staff. The NHS should launch a similar initiative for back care for carers
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5. Anne says: 1. This should be a permanent site. 2. Let's see what action is going to be taken in response to these ideas.
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6. Clare Cowell says: Life can be challenging enough for families under normal circumstances so surely there should be more provision financially and emotionally (in the form of frequent counselling) for families taking a child through cancer treatment.
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7. Jean says: I would like to see more local initiatives to help people with mental health problems get back to work or some kind of paid employment-especially for men who may previously have been the breaadwinner and supported a family. Help them to fight the stigma that goes with mental health problems.Help to educate the public and employees to see that it is flexible support that they need to bring back their confidence and self worth.It can be done but it is so hard.
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8. Helen Atkinson says: Carers are unable to build sufficient contributions for a full pension therefore they should retain there carers allowance when they reach retirement age
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9. Jane says: Support Carers financially, and show recognition that many, many Carers have to look after more than one person, and have to juggle EVERYTHING. Most Carers live in financial distress, with banks breathing down their necks constantly, leaving them in fear of being homeless, friendless, unable to care, (while of course a cared for person would always be taken into shelter and looked after). LISTEN and LISTEN HARD, to humiliated, depressed Carers. I have cared for my husband and two of my three children, with different needs, for 22 years. I gave up my nursing career, and feel very let down by the Labour Government, as my family is much worse off financially than when I first gave up work, twelve years ago, as my caring duties demanded it.
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10. Derek Hill says: Regular respite care should be a right every carer can enjoy.
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11. carol lindsay says: It would be a good idea to have help when your child leaves college other than just being told to go to the job centre- surely colleges could have more links with the job centres in helping people with special needs get jobs - everyone has something to offer to society
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12. Karen says: The least the government could do would be to make carers allowance unaccountable income like DLA is. They make this some up with income support so the when it goes up once a year this some is deducted off my income support. Bearing in mind we save them 56 billion a year. Plus if I went out and cared for someone privately i could get 7 pound an hour. I think we shouldn't be classed as unemployed either as its a 24/7 job with no holidays pension scheme etc.
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13. Keith Chard says: How to Help Carers 1) Perhaps more than anything else Carers need Time. Time to look after the Cared For (which is often a full time job in itself); Time to do the housework (including cooking, cleaning, shopping, washing, ironing); Time to do maintenance activities (on the house, garden, appliances, car); Time for dealing with communications with various organisations and authorities; Time for some personal activity; Time to sleep. There are not enough hours in the day to meet all these demands and something has to give, generally everything to some extent, but some things more than others. Outside help is needed to meet the demands on time but the Attendance Allowance paid to the Cared For is only sufficient to purchase a minimum amount of help. The Attendance Allowance should truly reflect the real cost of the Caring Services required and also recognise that caring may be required through the night. This is necessary as Caring Services charges do reflect the real cost, particularly if Residential Care is required. Alternatively it may be better not to pay Attendance Allowance at all but to provide the Services (including Residential Care) as required and free of charge at the point of delivery. 2) A problem all Carers have is stress. For elderly people this stress is considerably increased by the knowledge that should they, or their spouse, need to go into a Residential Care Home there is a distinct possibility that the savings that they have been able to accrue by being prudent during their working life may well be used up in paying for that care. In effect their savings are stolen by the legalised swindle that renames Nursing Care as Social Care and then charges for Social Care. This is an utter disgrace and an insult to the founders of the NHS. It results from political manoeuvring to minimise costs to the NHS by shifting the cost to those least able to do anything about it. This cost falls unfairly upon different people according to their personal circumstances. It is a denial of the original promise of the NHS to look after the medical needs of people from cradle to grave and needs reconsidering. This charge on individuals should be stopped and the costs paid for by society as a whole, and as originally intended, through the National Insurance scheme; the very name of which implies insurance to collectively cover unforeseen personal eventualities, which is what insurance is all about.
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14. Shaista Ali says: Carers should have a tax allowance similar to a working allowance, I enjoy taking my daughter out during summer holidays and the cost usally adds up, I would like to see free bus passes for carers and free gym memberships, carers need to have time for themselves now and then.
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15. Kathy says: Depending on the medical condition of the patient carers have different needs eg respite, holistic, advice, or finance and my belief is that the one common denominator with most carers is financial. However, that is not to say that these other needs should not be met but the financial burden and strain causes additional problems and stress for carers trying to make ends meet. My own case scenario does not allow me the luxury of working even for a few hours a week and because my husband is employed I do not qualify for even free prescriptions!! I had no choice but to give up work and care for my daughter (which I would do regardless) but the stress of caring for her, having no freedom and no money at times plays havoc with my mind. I am also nearing pension age and of course this too is causing me moments of anguish as I know my CA will fade into oblivion and my pension will have to subsidise her needs. So, what do I think? More financial recognition for carers would enable us to have a better quality of life and feel that the Government recognises us for what we are - good, honest workers who do an honest days work but unfortunately not for an honest days pay!! I would also suggest that you look too Ireland who within the last two years or so have recognised their Carers and look after them accordingly. Sorry to have been so long winded it was not meant to be.
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16. Lucia says: GPs could offer an annual health check for carers , maybe the government should give them a financial incentive as with other health issues. Prevention is more cost effective . Cares would benefit and have the opportunity to discuss problems. Help imrov thei health.
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17. Barbara Haines says: Gordon Brown removed capital gains tax exemption for people like us who provide a home for an elderly dependent. 15 years ago we took out mortgages on two flats for our two mothers because they had no capital and insufficient income for a mortgage. When one mother died 8 years ago CGT was not payable on a home we had provided for a dependent relative. When my mother went into residential care this year, we sold the flat to finance her residential fees, but have to pay CGT out of the proceeds, thus reducing the sum considerably. Is this Mr Brown's idea of helping carers ? He should revisit the CGT rules which penalise carers for having the decency to care financially !
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18. Cheryl says: If a person has to give up their employment or reduce their hours of work due to their caring role. The government should cover the loss of their earnings rather than give them an allowance, which is well below the minimum wage for a start. For many carers they continue in their employment whilst continuing to care for their loved ones, yet they do not receive any benefit towards their caring role if they earn or work over a certain amount. This would promote a more balanced lifestyle and quality of life for carers.
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19. roberto macdevil says: no pension state programs personal private insurance should be payed by everyone working and unless you dont have yourlast working month insurancepaid you would not be able to apply for the next job. and every business employeeing people would be paying for the no. of persons working an X amount that would go to th insurances for extra pension power. and unless a copanyo public service is not regulated with the insurance fees only one month will be allowed for delay a private co. could be shut down and a public-government office its bill will be presented to the ministery of finance to be payed at once.
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20. Jack Woolger says: Need advice and guidance for the most efficient way to wash, shower and dry partner to avoid injury (particularly back)
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