Bill
Thank you for that link. You are so good at those!
Phew! A lot of reading there!
Susieq
Thank you for the reply.
I have done voluntary work in the past. However, having done unpaid caring for 24 years the next job, if I have one will be paid!
BB
How is your son managing with his care reduced. If I were you I too would be wondering when you are going to be asked again.
Your welcome.
For once , full marks for Carers UK on the old accounts front.
M seemed OK, but one member of staff never does any daily exercise with him (bearing in mind there are two bikes at his flat, one for him, one for the carer, and he lives on the edge of the New Forest there are loads of places he could safely ride his bike, it was like the Triffids had landed this morning!). Fortunately, he seems to have absorbed enough about the virus to know we have to stay home, and safe, and I didn’t go in his flat.
Eldest son who lives at home is a key worker for the council, who does anti social hours and M just doesn’t understand that side of his work, he would be getting up at 4.30am too!!
When I refused to have M home, a member of staff came back from maternity leave to help support M, but the service was already short staffed and another service user has moved back in with mum as care wasn’t available. Her mum and I are friends, so we keep in touch, but her husband is still alive, so they can share the caring.
If my husband was still alive he’d be doing things with the steam engines all the time and they’d be like pigs in the proverbial together, as they always were. All I had to do was make cups of tea and make nice meals when M was home, in those days.
I have had to admit to myself that caring for M is no longer an option apart from the odd weekend, eldest son is the only one who sees me utterly exhausted at the end of a weekend with M here. He would love to tell Social Services what he thinks of them and their treatment of me, but he never comes to a meeting. He knows that once he opened his mouth on the subject it would be non stop “industrial” language that flowed!!!
If government were to double/triple carer and caree attendance allowances there’d be no appreciable boost to the economy. Giving the employed 80% of wages will help keep economy going. (Is the money multiplier a factor of 2 to 3x.
Carees and unpaid carers are more of a drain to the economic machine. We aren’t of value in the overall economic business sense. That’s why we’re not included, sadly.
It’ll take some radical brainstorming to change our status. Increasing carers allowance by thirty quid or so just isn’t enough, imho! Such brainstorming isn’t always pleasant to witness by those used to doing things incrementally.
Carers and unpaid carers are more of a drain to the economic machine. We aren’t of value in the overall economic business sense. That’s why we’re not included, sadly.
If carers did not care as they do , the Government would need to find £ 140 BILLION to replace us.
In essence , saving all taxpayers having to shell out more in taxes through our sacrifices as family / kinship carers.
Having said that , knowing that carers will continue to care no matter what , allows the Government to continue to exploit us as they know
that , almost to a carer , the carer would not stop caring.
No thanks to the Coronavirus Bill , that figure will increase at it’s fastest rate for decades.
Agrred Bill. A difference between saving money and spending to help maintain the economy…
Nice for any Government to have £ 140 BILLION in the bank without fear of withdrawals ???
The Aftermath will be interesting … already being discussed , at length , off the forum.
Assume the economy takes 3 - 5 years to get back to where it was before coronavirus … a much changed economy at that.
That would be the Government’s priority.
Benefit levels to remain high , with unemployment probably settling around 1.8 - 2 million as the nature of business changes.
Coronavirus Act provisions … reviews after an unspecified time.
Almost guarantee that the renewal date will follow the economy’s recovery , NOT precede it !
So … what we are all experiencing now for another 3 - 5 years … at best ?
I’d like some of that!!
My son needs care nearly all the time he is awake, due to brain damage.
Why am I a “drain” if I care for him, but if anyone else cares for him as a job, that’s not a drain?
He was brain damaged at birth, and there was a cover up.
In New Zealand they have a “no fault” scheme, he would have the care he needed for life without a fight.
Why do the most vulnerable in society, or their relatives, have to fight what is lawfully theirs anyhow, care to meet their needs?
Rosemary
I disagree.
Carers are not a drain on society.
We are propping it up!
Only in terms of our contribution to government incoming versus the cost of governmental services and infrastructure. That’s what I was thinking.
I think that’s what we and those who represent us are battling against when it comes to callous, short sighted, short term fiscal policymakers/bean counters.
It’s too easy for us to be not valued when our value to society is great!
I truly meant no offense to any carer, many of whom here have needed to devote their lives entirely to caring, 24/7 every day of the year!
If carers continue to care no matter what , why would the Government upset the gravy train ?
Raising taxes does not win votes.
If 2009 is a guide , the less heard from carers the better the whole System likes it … social care is built on our collective shoulders.