<t>Hi Daisy,<br/> <br/> That is definitely NOT normal practice and although the two you saw were probably just bunking off from work I would address it ASAP with whoever you dealt with to arrange the support for your son. If your son was not at home anyone from the agency should have left, not made ...

Ideally the government would go back to anyone who checked they care for someone and ask more detailed questions. We'd still miss people who care that didn't check any of the appropriate boxes, of course, but it would be better than relying solely on that one rather broad and vague question.

<t>Parsifal,<br/> <br/> It's really not a question of statistics per se, the size of the census alone will give it a very low statistical margin of error. It's more to do with how reliable the answers are to each question and how the results are interpreted and applied. I've copied the question abou...

Parsifal, "I think that it is probably true of the members of this board that majority are not working and caring, but the 2001 Census paints a different picture: 2.5 million people in England and Wales combine unpaid caring for a partner, relative or friend who is ill, frail or has a disability wit...

The point for me is that most of us don't have a choice about combining working and caring. For those who have a choice, they're the luckier ones and there's really no more to be said about it.

Signed,

Grumpy in Surrey

<t>Parsifal,<br/> <br/> I don't understand the pension and benefits system and doubt I will even with "simplification." What is pretty darn clear is that "simplification" is word-spinning for cuts. I can just see the government claiming that "some disabled people and their carers" will be better off...

Hi Megan, You might want to post in the new members area and introduce yourself to everyone! http://www.carersuk.org/images/icon_smile.gif ... my husband still has COPD, of course. He's always been a cranky pill so I don't notice any difference when he's on antibiotics or steriods. (I read your prof...

<t>At least there is some good news for people already in or approaching state pension age, "Carers over State Pension age, who qualify for Carer’s Allowance but cannot get it at the<br/> same time as their State Pension because of the rules of the benefits system. These<br/> carers may get a Care...

<t>Kat,<br/> <br/> Definitely if you found counseling helpful see if you can someone else. I had a great therapist and then I moved and had to find someone new. Well, even though the second therapist was suppose to specialize in the area where I was having difficulty the therapist's advice was compl...

<t>My husband spent the last year complaining to his two daughters that their iPhones were rubbish and they didn't need them. Then ... all of his mates started to get i Phones and all of a sudden iPhones came up in conversation more and more. So, finally I told husband to admit that he wanted an iPh...