Carers Week 2022 - 'Make Caring Visible, Valued and Supported' 6-12th June - What's occurring?

[whattheydidtoFresnoBob]

Welcome Carers,

I haven't seen any posts about Carer's Week yet so here we are. Make a little time for a kindness to yourself, empty vessels don't pour. Know that you are never alone and that we are an enormous army propping up society through no choice of our own and though we may be unseen, undervalued and underpaid - we are showing up and getting on with it. May the government lead by example in recognising that grit, repairing the scaffolding and giving us the tools we need to continue. A good quality of life for all.

Anything good happening? Are you organising something? Is your workplace recognising Carer's Week?

Please add any links you have and let's have a gathering of sorts

https://www.carersuk.org/news-and-campaigns/campaigns/carers-week

https://www.carersweek.org

A Recovery and Respite Plan for Unpaid Carers

Carers UK and the six other charities involved with Carers Week 2022 are calling on Government to outline additional support for carers across a range of areas – including breaks, respite and care services, infection control, identification of carers, financial help, and support to juggle work and care. Doing so would recognise the enormous impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on carers’ lives, as well as the people they care for, and help to mitigate some of the negative impacts that caring can have on carers’ own physical and mental health.

Please join us in calling on the government to develop a Recovery and Respite Plan for Unpaid Carers, to ensure all carers get the support they need. You can write to your MP with just a few clicks:

Join the campaign

The amount of carer's allowance is pitiful for the amount of care provided and the money saved by the government/health in not supplying that care.

Unpaid care is not valued by society. Until Society changes it's view it will continue since why would a government bother to change anything. They can find billions for their own pet projects but helping carers is not deemed important enough or a vote winner....

On a slightly different point foster carers who receive an allowance for looking after some of the most traumatised, vulnerable children in society is also undervalued and in many cases (local authority carers) is very poorly remunerated. Again it's not valued by society.

@notapizzaeater Something that has pissed me off for 28 years. I no longer receive carer's allowance but still feel very sorely about this.
I start from a point of believing that CA should be payable to anyone caring regardless their earnings but if we cannot achieve that fair deal thenI think the earnings threshold for CA needs an overhaul.

Rather than a cut-off we should have a sliding scale so that should we find ourselves able to work, we are never in the position of having to refuse a few extra hours, or a small promotion, because it will mean we lose all our CA and end up financially worse off.
When my disabled son was settled in his special school, I was able to take a job as a lunchtime supervisor. This didn't affect my CA. Then I was offered an additional post as a TA. This took me up to very nearly the threshold. After some time, I was offered a higher grade role which would have included the chance of gaining a qualification. But because this would have meant i was roughly £35 a week worse off I couldn't do it. As much as I wanted to prepare myself for the day I was no longer a carer by gaining experience and qualifications (that would one day have meant paying lots more tax), I couldn't take the job.

Had I lost CA pound for pound over the cut-off, I would never have been worse off. And I think I would have been a happier carer too. And now that I'm no longer a carer, I wouldn't be stuck in minimum wage jobs due to lack of qualifications.

Means testing Carers Allowance is stupid, it's a gateway for so much. I wonder how many people in the general public realise Carers are not allowed to earn any more than £132 per week?

It's a pittance.

The £132 limit should be scrapped as should the benefits cap. Neither have kept pace with inflation, both condemn to poverty.

There is no logic to denying people opportunity like that, it's just a cruel restriction.

Why not combine the figures, make Carer's Allowance min £200 per week and have no earnings cap so any passing chance at gaining a pension or savings can be beneficial. This will alleviate some of the stress and also lessen the burden we carers will be to the NHS when we break further down the road.

I'm 'pleased' all your points are exactly what I am going to say ! The system is so flawed

notapizzaeater will you also mention the £20 uplift during the pandemic which was applied to "working people" benefits (Rishi's words to Martin Lewis when asked) but not to legacy benefits like Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance etc. This was challenged in court but failed for reasons stupid and will hopefully go to appeal.

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/appeal-hopes-follow-anger-at-universal-credit-20-uplift-court-defeat/

Yes there is a process ongoing to shift all legacy claimants onto the universal credit system but many will be worse off moving so are waiting it out. Forced transition entitles claimants to payment protection so they don't immediately lose income. The uplift was seen as an attempt by the government to persuade more people to switch systems voluntarily, this means they are not entitled to protection from a reduction in payment.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Universal-Credit-transitional-protection/What-is-Universal-Credit-transitional-protection

This is particularly galling given that the government does count carers as employed to reduce the unemployment figures. (Which makes us employed by the government in conditions that breach UK employment law surely?).

Notapizzaeaster - I am so pleased (and rather jealous) that someone is going to say something to someone. Please give them hell from all of us knackered, unappreciated carers.

I totally agree with all the points made here. Particularly the £67 a week carer's allowance. I mean, why?! What is such a small amount supposed to achieve? Don't we deserve a proper wage? God knows, as other posters have pointed out, we are saving them enough money.

As for Carers charities, in my experience they don't seem to be really fighting for carers' rights. I'm not interested in virtual cups of coffee, yoga or (even worse) sessions on how to be a carer. Does anyone know of any organisations that are pressuring the government for proper change?

Sorry for rant, lots of pent up frustration here!!

JSA £77.00 - Job Seeker's Allowance

CA £69.70 - Carer's Allowance

Because?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/carers/4543589-carers-in-scotland-the-care-inspectorate-want-to-hear-your-views

I would like for all of the "treat" funding that carer support charities get to be spent on useful stuff for carers eg chore respite.

Actual respite (someone to replace the carer) is very expensive and tough to arrange so it doesn't happen. Chore respite could happen easily so a cleaning or gardening or decorating or even car valet team or voucher or something. A treat that lessens the workload and gives time instead of a time consuming treat (like yoga or flower arranging).

Alternatively just tell us how much is available per carer and let us CHOOSE how to spend the money!

Well I spoke to about 20 MPs and they all listened (but they always do !!!) I felt better for sharing how shite the system is, lack of respite, the invisibility, the difficulties in working/juggling, the money and how they know that we won't just walk away as we love the careees (Sp) etc etc etc

Wow!

@notapizzaeater well done that is brilliant also 20 MPs sounds like a lot. Was it fairly good cross party representation? Are they going to keep you posted on any progress?

I hope you have a very well earned drink right now!

Thank you @notapizzaeater . Things could change if they listened and cared!! Well done!!

Zero mention of Carer's Week on Questiontime, I hope none of the panel attended @notapizzaeater's talk earlier.

The responses to Boris make for entertaining reading...
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1534567751565590529

Thank you @notapizzaeater . Honestly I don't understanding why there aren't more people shouting about how unfair it all is, given the huge numbers of unpaid carers in this country. Maybe we're all just too worn down to fight the fight