Welfare reform - what it says in the white paper

[Matt Hill]

Raising expectations and increasing support: reforming welfare for the future

We've not had time to put together our response yet, but this is what the white paper says. Looks like a U-turn on what was in the Green Paper.

Carers and a simplified system
2.16 In the Green Paper we asked for views on whether moving some carers onto Jobseeker’s Allowance, with no change in the conditionality placed upon them, would be suitable. Many carers and their representative organisations were very clear that Jobseeker’s Allowance was not an appropriate benefit for carers. Respondents explained that carers would not be available for work because of their caring responsibilities – which, although unpaid, were at least as much as those experienced by people in full-time work.

2.17 In his review of conditionality, Professor Gregg also said that people entitled to carers’ benefits should not be expected to engage in back to work activity, unless they volunteered to do so. We accept that recommendation. We also remain committed to ensuring that the specific needs of carers are recognised within the benefits system. As a result, we have amended our proposal and will not move carers from Income Support until we have a clear and detailed plan setting out how we will reform the benefits system over the longer term. We will, of course, discuss these plans with stakeholders as our work on streamlining the benefits system progresses.

Full reports available online here
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/welfarereform/rai ... ectations/

[Scally]

Thanks Matt,
I think that decision was fairly inevitable, given the level of concern, and demonstrates the importance of carer-led groups like Carers UK in communicating the voices of carers to government.

But what is also important is to campaign for carers who do wish to work. Some of us are caught up in a benefits trap whereby there is no benefit earning more than £90 a week because we promptly lose £50 Carers Allowance.

Others (such as for example parent carers with kids in school) wish to study full time, to help re-entry into the jobs market, and are currently penalised heavily. The system is wrong, and reform is urgently needed. I hope the government doesn't use this as an excuse to do nothing. We have been waiting long enough for justice.

http://www.carerspovertyprotest.info

[charles47]

The danger is in the detail of the comment: it seems to me that the approach is "we won't change this YET" - but until there are clear proposals to be gone over, the only proposals from the government are to EVENTUALLY scrap the IS element: the current proposals from outside government have been rejected out of hand by government at this stage and we need to keep making the case.

This should not be a situation of "keep the status quo until no one is looking", it should be about properly thought out proposals that are actually relevant to carers and meet our needs.

[Matt Hill]

I agree Charles that the devil is in the detail and this gets us no further forward but it does at least provide some reassurance that the ill-thought out proposals for carers are giving way to what we can only hope is a more considered approach.

I think it is good news I really do and I think it is testament to those carers who organised the petition, wrote to their MP's and those who harangued the Minister at our Summit and other occasions. Without that level of outcry you cna be sure this would have slipped through unnoticed.

I was pleased to see in the appendix on P176-177 of the White paper they did not shy away from including some of the more strong criticism from Carers UK and CarerWatch amongst others.

[Matt Hill]

Our repsonse

http://www.carersuk.org/Newsandcampaign ... 1228921484

[charles47]

Haven't had a chance to read it yet: I was on my way back to the office from a carers' group for working carers when I opened my car door and the top hinge sheared off, leaving me with a slight problem - how to get the thing shut again!

Had to call out recovery to get it home but finally got the blasted thing shut - it took two of us to do it!

However, you're right. There is a lot of positive to the carers element of the white paper and we need to build on it with the submissions they've already received being made more public. Looks like the protest's timing will be alright after all!!

[g.herschel]

WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO DO - GOVERNMENT STATEMENT IN TODAYS WHITE PAPER RE CARERS / INCOME SUPPORT .


WE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ---- WHO WRITE`S THIS C*** the mind boggles its beyond belief .

[g.herschel]

well would you believe it the white paper is useless for carers so what will happen now well we could have another carers review as we did last year the result of which was to put carers on J.S.A. .

in the carers national summit report almost all who gave evidence said the carers allowance was not fit for purpose and should be raised

why cant we use IIAN DUNCAN SMITHS report Broken Britain in it he called for the carers allowance to be doubled .

and what about the select committee report just published in it they called for the carers allowance to be raised as a matter of urgency with 2 tiers to reflect the level of care given one tier was £60 the other if i remember correctly was about £85.

WHAT WE DONT WANT IS JUST ANOTHER REVIEW TO KEEP MANY PEOPLE IN WORK WE HAVE ALL THE EVIDENCE WE NEED JUST MAKE A DECISSION NOW SADLY IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO MANY GROUPS AND ORGANISATIONS WANT TO CHIP IN WITH THEIR 2PENNYWORTH WE NOW HAVE VARIOUS GROUPS WHO JUST LIKE TO HEAR THEMSELVES TALKING AND TALKING WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH TALK AND DEBATING OVER THE ISSUE OF CARERS ALLOWANCE JUST DO WHAT YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO DO RAISE THE ALLOWANCE.

BUT WITH THE NEXT ELECTION ROUND THE CORNER THATS YOUR LOT WE HAVE NO CHANCE OF ANY INCREASE TO THE CARERS ALLOWANCE THIS SIDE OF GENERAL ELECTION SO IT`S THE STATUS QUO FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS WHAT A FARCE.

[Scally]

I opened my car door and the top hinge sheared off, leaving me with a slight problem - !!

I knew you had a screw loose Charles, I admit I kept on telling folk behind your back that I had ma doots, but I never realised you were totally unhinged!!!

[Guest]

Also the Conservatives back the the Government on there policy of getting people off benifits and in work they claim it was there idea that the Government as hijacked.
So for all those carer's thinking they will get a better deal under the Conservatives think again.
I don't know who to vote for they all sing from the same song sheet.
The question always is who carer's for the carer's the answer is No Body.
So B---ock's to the lot of them.
John