Carers "benefit"!

[snuffyuk]

I like alot of you are full time caring. I recieve approx £60 a week. Unable to find some sort of Home working to help my finances.
My real "bug bear" is that people like myself still have to pay the full "whack" for my prescriptions, eye care and dentistry.
Regards
snuffyuk

 

[Jude]

Dear Snuffyuk

£60 a week doesn't go very far at all does it? You can't work full time, because you'd lose your allowance and if you did have a job, then you'd have to pay carers to come in. And if you supplement your income with part time work, then you lose it to the Tax Department. It's a no win situation.

I applied for a carer's allowance a few years' ago and was told that I wasn't entitled to one because I am listed as 'non resident' in the UK for the purposes of the SS. The Council insist I should pay Council Tax because I'm a 'part resident'. Well, they can't have it both ways surely? Either I'm here or I'm not....It seems pretty silly to obtain a carer's allowance and then give it to the Local Government really......

All this paperwork and rubbish is a complete waste of time and effort. I've got better things to do with my time every day than muck around with Govt forms. So, like you, I now need glasses and dental treatment, but can't afford either.


Jude

 

[Brucie]

Come now, let's be generous to these Social Services and Council people.

If we were not there for them to try and frustrate at every turn - then they would be out of a job - and who else would employ them!

This is true Care in the Community - we are ensuring that they have the wherewithall to keep their lives on track.

 

[snuffyuk]

I feel that the government of the day should recognise the carers worth. If we all gave up and sent all "our guys" into homes the cost would become intolerable to all the local authorities and we would end up relying on the state for benefits etc.
Hope that makes sense but guess you know what I am trying to say?

 

[Jude]

Dear Snuffyuk,

Your comments are completely sensible and sound. If it wasn't for caring family members to look after their own, then the costs of social and health care would shoot through the roof. But isn't that what the Govt is banking on?

Don't forget that the Government is a non-profit making organisation. They don't have to make a profit, because the tax payers bail them out every year and if there's a deficit, then the tax is increased to cover it. What a stupid way to run a country! If I ran my hotel along the lines that the Government runs this country then we'd have been dead in the water years ago.

I don't understand politics enough to understand why things are run this way. It just seems totally silly to me. If the country was run by the Government along the basic lines of business principles, then surely a profit would be a good result. It's beyond me.....

Jude

 

[Jude]

Dear Brucie,

How can you be so critical? I thought all these caring people were working for our health and happiness. You've destroyed my faith in the Government - I am distraught......!!

Jude

 

[snuffyuk]

Thanks for the replies and seeing that it is still possible to retain a sense of humour.

 

[Norman]

T he whole country runs on volunteers some paid small amounts some not paid at all.
I f all the volunteers were taken out of the system the country would collapse.
Norman

 

[Jude]

Dear Norman,

I agree - and we can't even stage a 'strike' because there would be 750,000 AD sufferers wanding around without lunch....!

Jude

 

[Norman]

Jude
we couln't withdraw our labour,could we withdraw the drawers and create a knicker mountain in Downing Street ,750000 pairs
WOW
keep smiling
Norman

 

[Jude]

Dear Norm,

What a very satisfactory way of saying 'knickers' to Stephen Ladyman!

Cheers Jude

 

[snuffyuk]

"in my dreams"
An arctic lorry full of knickers and "pads" dumped on Number10


Seriously. Is there anyway our status could be improved?
"tired" snuffy

 

[Jude]

Dear Snuffy,

Don't know yet. But I've got my thinking cap on as usual. Keep your chin up!

Jude

 

[Brucie]

Web presence

..how about a web site for carers, highlighting the issues and linking to Talking Point?

Or is there one around already?

 

[HELEN]

Hi all,

Bruce there is a site called www.carersonline. org.uk which seems to fight for carers & has some interesting stuff.

Take care

Helen

 

[Brucie]

okey dokey. Will check it out.

Thanks

 

[Jude]

Dear Helen,

Thanks for the info. Will have a look at this. Could you also list this under 'Resources' on this website. I find that I forget which post exactly it is that I've seen important items listed and spend ages looking for them. I think that would be a great help to all.

Jude

 

[Meldrew]

cares websites

Hello all - there are a few other websites for carers you might like to look at, as well as the excellent carersonline (and this site of course): http://www.counselandcare.org.uk
http://www.crossroads.org.uk
http://www.dct.org.uk
http://www.carers.org/home/

and even (at the risk of causing distress to Jude)

http://www.carers.gov.uk/

They're worth checking out for a broader perspective but please don't abandon this site for them!

 

[Jude]

Dear Meldrew,

What a mine of information you are! Please post all of these on 'Resources' so that we don't lose them! Thanks so much for this - we can all browse through them at our lesiure - when we have any that is.... Every single bit of information is so helpful and the more information in 'Resources' that we can get, means that we don't have to keep 'reinventing the wheel'. That way, we can all correspond with each other and help each other with daily problems, instead of having to spend hours locating vital links.

Thank you so much for all of this.

Best wishes, Jude

 

[Norman]

We were talking about the cost to the state if there were no carers just read it in the carers site

£57 Billion a year!!!!!!£57 Billion
Norman