Georges' letter in paper - carers are ignored

[rosemary]

Carers are ignored

IAIN Duncan Smith, work and pensions secretary, will force the unemployed to "work" for their benefits.

A minimum of 30 hours’ manual work per week will be required or they will lose their jobseekers allowance. They call this a new initiative.

Could I remind the minister that we now have in place a benefit that is conditional on the claimant working a minimum of 35 hours per week and if not they receive no benefit at all.

What is this benefit?

It is the carers’ allowance set at £53 per week. This is the lowest benefit payable (lower than jobseekers allowance).

Could I also remind the minister that his own Centre for Social Justice, in its report, Broken Britain, more than two years ago, said the carers’ allowance was far too low at £50 per week and should be doubled, yet it and carers have been ignored by the minister in his benefit reform.

see here

[david c]

go on george you tell them

[Nilla]

Nice one George but I doubt they will take notice

[no1mum]

Good one George.

[krys]

Well said George, and good for you to keep trying

[Jimbo]

Well said George. I have copied this to my MP, he will be one of the guest speakers at a Local Carers UK meeting on Friday. He usually answers emails, sent to him, quite promptly.

I will let you know what he says (when he replys).

[Myrtle]

Nice one George

[g.herschel]

the edited version was in the Mirror this morning ...dont you think carers uk , or any carer group should be doing this for us .. surely they have some clout ....

[rosemary]

CUK been in many papers today George plus most local BBC stations. On BBC Newcastle this morning, as was mentioned on another thread, was a rep there from a support group for male carers. He was talking about CUK too.

[g.herschel]

must start buying up market news- papers.....