Justice for working carers

[sharon2]

I am a carer and I work part time. My wage just exceeds the £100 allowed to earn so I can't get carers allowance. I think this is so unfair because I still care for my 27 year old son. He lives at home as he wishes and we are very glad to have him around. It's like haveing a child for life and I'm not complaining about that atall. My moan is that I work very hard to look after my demanding son and I deserve carers allowance for this caring I do. The fact that I work 20 hrs a week doesn't mean I do any less caring. My husband and I both share the caring. Why don't the gov reward people who genuinly wish to work. £50 measly pounds and look what I'm saving the government, thousands a week.

[Maxi]

you wont hear a peep from me by way of contest.you are right where i am.as a part-time worker and carer,im with you on what you say.

[Guest]

I also agree, I think the level at which the earnings disregard is set is too low and that there should be a taper rather than the complete withdrawal of CA once the earnings disregard is reached, it makes no sense whatsoever for someone who earns £100 a week to receive a total income of over £150 and for someone who earns just over £120, for example, to find themselves £30 worse off than if they worked for less.

[cheekipixi]

I agree, this is so bad, I admire you for holding down a job AND being a carer, both are hard enough on thier own.

Can you not get the underlying entitlement of carers premium, this is worth around 29.00 a week I think.

Your entitled to 25% off your council tax, I'm sure too and a reduction to your water bill, best check these though I could be wrong.

Good luck with all you do though and I really do admire people like yourselves.

-x-

[TriciaA]

I totally agree with you - I also care for my mother and hold down employment, although my work hours are now 15 hours per week. I had to cut back on a few hours to enable me to more available for my mother.
I was refused CA because I am now earning £50.00 per month too much

The financial struggle isn't easy and I have reached a point where I am not sure what to do next.
As you have said, we are saving the Government a vast amount of money. It appears though, they don't or won't see it that way.

[g.herschel]

if you can why dont you cut your hours at work and lose £50(£12-50 per week) then claim the carers allowance of £212 per month, and spare a thought for those of us who cant work at all and have only the carers allowance plus I.S. or in my case a private occupational pension which by the way stops me from claiming any other benefit at all apart from the council tax reduction which may stop next year .

[Guest]

Or how about sparing a thought for working carers who have the difficult task of juggling work and caring often because they have no choice and need the money to meet their financial commitments.

[Maxi]

How rare,how welcome it is when a thread unites us in accord.I cant really add to this thread beyond saying that I FULLY AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS..FACTUAL,IM THERE,KNOW IT ALLTOO WELL.

I CANNOT FIND FAULT WITH THIS WELLCOME THREAD.

[TriciaA]

Or how about sparing a thought for working carers who have the difficult task of juggling work and caring often because they have no choice and need the money to meet their financial commitments.

Quite right Paraifal, I have financial commitments as I'm sure many like myself do.

[krys]

The Carers Poverty Alliance campaigns for ALL carers, every carer
should receive carers allowance if they care for someone.