�Commenting on the publication of the Department for Work & Pensions Parliamentary Select committee entitled 'Valuing and Suporting Carers', the Right attention, Right sell campaign comments:
Paul Cann, Director of Policy & External Relations at Help the Aged said: "The committee's first-class report lays bare the extent to which carers struggle to access the support they need piece carrying extinct one of the to the highest degree valuable jobs in our society. Carers save our health and social forethought systems billions of pounds and they deserve a better deal in return.
"The committee rightly highlights the need for reform of the social attention system to improve support for older and disabled people and their carers.
"The Right Care Right Deal campaign wants to see an integrated organisation of tending and backup which is fit for the 21st century. As the committee acknowledges - there is a growing funding gap in our care system - and the Government must non shy away from filling it."
Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK said: "We welcome the Committee's acknowledgement that carers' benefits are outdated and need urgent and chemical group reform. This cross-party report, informed by expert evidence, backs up what carers have been telling us. We argued for improvements to benefits as part of the Government's Carers Strategy and were bitterly disappointed when none were included.
"As well as being foully low at just �50.55 per week, Carer's Allowance does not recognise carers' private circumstances and discourages them from combination caring with paid work.
"The two-tier benefit recommended by the Committee would be a major improvement to the current system. Carers need a secern benefit which recognises that they are not unemployed but are making an important contribution to companionship.
"Government has promised a review of benefits only the message from carers is clear: we can't wait. Many carers ar living in poverty and rising food and fuel prices ar hitting them hard. Their unpaid donation to society is charles Frederick Worth �87 jillion each year, yet Carer's Allowance is just �50.55 per week. Carers deserve bettor and demand change now."
Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel & Care comments: "This report is an important contribution to the development of a new vision for social care which includes carers as be partners in the health and societal care organization. We are pleased that the government is committed to better access to information and advice for carers. However, this of necessity to be linked with effective and accessible advocacy services to ensure that information services are truly holistic.
"Too many carers have to give up work because of their caring responsibilities. We ar delighted that the prize committee has recognized the potential of care vouchers and we look fore to on the job with the Government and the DWP to implement the committee's recommendation.
"More and more of us will be carers in the future. The current consultation on the future funding of care and next year's green newspaper must be ambitious and lead to greater supporting for carers."
Notes
Right care, Right deal is the modern national political campaign launched to build public awareness and support for the need for braw and groundbreaking solutions for the social care system. With the Government indicating that social care is an urgent political priority, and in advance of the expected green paper later in 2008, the campaign combines three of the UK's largest charities working with and for older the great unwashed and their families and carers, and will cheer the governing to renew its visual sensation for the future of social care in England. Visit hTTP://www.rightcare.org.uk
The members of the campaign are Help the Aged, Counsel & Care and Carers UK.
Help the Aged and Counsel & aid are among the partners who suffer established the FirstStop advice service. Available initially in London and the South East of England, FirstStop will offer advice on a wide range of topics including care fees and support care fees, choosing the right care home, social care provision, benefits and rights. Callers to the advice business will number one have their enquiry assessed by specially trained advisers. Following assessment, callers may be passed directly to a specialiser who can answer more complex questions and help navigate elderly people and their carers through their care, housing and finance options.
Information is available nationally by visiting hypertext transfer protocol://www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk
The partners within FirstStop are Help the Aged, Counsel & Care, Elderly Accommodation Counsel and NHFA Care Fees Advice Service.
Help the Aged
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Tuesday, 2 September 2008
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