In response to an epetition

[Echo]

There is a petition on the UK government webite to attempt to reduce the amount of benefit one may recieve for being a Carer. It includes the view expressed by Mr Kevin Arnold that "the taxpayer is keeping these people (carers) on these benefits surely they have the time to do this caring, often it is for a family member, so family values should be enough for them to care".

Unfortunately (or perhaps not...) I do not have Mr Arnold's email address. So my response will have to be here. Perhaps he would like to apply......

Job Description: Personal Carer

Minimum Hours per week: 35 (be aware that you must pay your own expenses, mine currently stand at £35 per week minimum in petrol alone)
On Call: Permanent 24/7
Emergency callout: whenever required 24/7
Holiday entitlement: 0
Days off: 0
Pension:0
Age limits: None
Health requirements: None… just the ability to do the job anyway
Training: None

Remuneration:
£55.55 per week ( or £1.58 per contractual hour)
Overtime not payable
(Any pay at all forfeited if you are under 16, in full time education or earning more than £100 per week elsewhere. Also dependant on your caree being officially classed as sufficiently severely disabled. Up to £55.55 per week may be deducted from any other benefits you are surviving on)

Rewards:
The knowledge that you are providing essential care for a friend or relative that would otherwise not be provided at the same level
That you, personally, are helping to save the country £119 billion a year,
The knowledge that you, at least, do care.

Main duties including,(but not exclusive):

Intimate, personal care and grooming of third party,
Toileting and bathing,
Emptying of urinals and dealing with accidents
Administering medications
Heavy lifting
Toilet cleaning
General housework
Laundry &ironing
Window cleaning
Household repairs and maintenance
Dealing with refuse
Gardening
Personal assistant
Secretarial duties
Advocacy
Researcher
Diary keeping
Taxi driver
Wheelchair handler
Chaperone
Bodyguard
Diary keeper
Hands on physiotherapy
Counselling
Personal Training
Occupational therapy
Devils Advocate where required
Listener & comforter


Essential Personal Requirements:

Thick skin
Patience (required for dealing with both caree occasionally and the ‘system’ on a daily basis)
Ability to work under pressure
Not squeamish
Must be prepared to drop everything at a moments notice
Must be prepared to sit on phone for as many hours as required
Must be prepared not to have a personal life
Must not mind being taken for granted by the system who use emotional blackmail to ensure you do your ‘duty’
Must not mind becoming a second class citizen
Must be able to accept loss of lifestyle, dreams and plans for the future
Must be able to accept financial implications and probable poverty
Must be prepared for inevitable impact on health through physical and mental stress

Recommended reading list:

Humour-Carers Rights (Equal Opportunities)Bill

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/comm ... 04-013.pdf

http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/guide/ri ... ights.aspx

Financial :
http://www.carersuk.org/newsroom/item/2 ... rers-save-£119-billion

Health:
http://www.carersuk.org/newsroom/item/2 ... ed-carers-‘sick-with-worry’-about-finances





ANY TAKERS????????

.

[cheryl]

Good response Echo Many people do not appreciate how becoming a carer has such an enormous impact on peoples lives in all the areas that you mention and probably more! People with views like Mr Kevin Arnold couldn't or wouldn't be capable of being a carer themselves.

[Myrtle]

I wonder what Mr. Arnold receives each week?
A lot more than £55 for a lot less, I suspect.

[NanaNana]

Actually, joking aside.
Send it to Kevin Arnold MP, House of Commons, Westminster, London.

That's it. It'll get to him, I promise.
You don't need to know his email address or his local office address, just send it there.

I would, cos it's an excellent advertisement.
Honestly, I'd send it.

[Echo]

I doubt he's at Westminster, Fran.Well, I hope not anyway or there is no hope at all for the nation...

I have, however, already sent it to several journalists and a couple of MP's. Not that I hold out any more hope than any of the other pieces i have sent to Westminster....