WARNING !!! RISE IN MINIMUM WAGE DUE ! Weekly Limit Currently £ 123 ! No DP / PHB Increase = Less Care For Same Monies

[Chris From The Gulag]

( Thanks to the original Trawler once again ! Twitter community ! )

APOLOGIES to all for missing this somewhat obvious point from Monday's budget !

Budget 2018.

Minimum wage rise ... annual problem ... April 2019 ... £ 8.21 per hour ... increase of 38p.

MANY Carers juggling work with caring with automatically crash through the limit of £ 120 UNLESS they reduce their hours and / or marshall excess income ... most through the pension route.

Used to be a problem with qualifying hours needed for WTCs ... same under UC ???

CUK ... SORT IT OUT NOW before the annual panic.

Unless , of course , there are already moves afoot to do so in the Green / Red Herring Paper BEFORE April 2019 ?

So much for the Government " Encouraging " us to juggle caring with work ... applauded by both supporting organisations ?

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support- ... h%20caring

Smoke and ... mirrors !!!

NEITHER Budget responses from our supporting organisations mentioned this ... time for new script writers for both CEOs ?

Yet again , the alarm sounded on this forum ... do WE have to monitor everything happening in Carerland to ensure we can sleep a little easier ???

[Chris From The Gulag]

Now upstairs with CUK ... for the 11th. year running !

Minimum wage rises ?

So does that limit ... automatically !

Simples ?

Apparently not.

The potential 3 million can sleep easier in their beds tonight ... can't they ?

[Melly1]

Also a problem for those with Direct payments/ individual budget etc: cost of care increasing but amount not increasing. This happens first when living wage was introduced and again with the new pension rules. Each time, carees advised money not increasing and there solution; look for cheaper (lower quality,) care.

Melly1

[Chris From The Gulag]

Thanks for that Melly ... old age finally taking it's long overdue toll on me.

If DPs are NOT increased , less care for the same money !

No mention anywhere else accept for this forum ... and an alert moderator.

Kicked upstairs for CUK to handle ... or not ... as the case may be.

[Chris From The Gulag]

" Real living wage " rises to £9 an hour.

Those lucky enough to work for an employer who has voluntarily signed up to the " Real living wage " are set for a 2.8% pay rise this week.

For the first time they will receive £9 an hour.

This is not to be confused with the compulsory National Living Wage, which is currently £7.83 an hour for anyone over the age of 25.

Real living wage employers in London will pay an extra 3.4%, bringing the minimum hourly rate to £10.55.

The rate is independently calculated, to reflect what people need to spend to feed, clothe and house themselves.

While we all wait for CUK to respond ( Email sent to that other outfit as well ) , some will already be affected by this rise if receiving DPs from their LA ... and NOT been notified of any increase.

BOTTOM LINE ... SAME MONIES UNDER DPs WILL BUY IN LESS CARE !

[Honey Badger]

.

[Chris From The Gulag]

If DPs are NOT increased , and the recipient cannot afford to buy in additional care , a clear case of RATIONING BY STEALTH ... me thinks.

For far too many , their income is fixed ... essential expenditure , heat and housing costs , are rising ... that choice of eat / heat / roof is becoming critical as more are facing that daily choice.

Perhaps now the BIG FOUR ... FOOD / HEATING / HOUSING / CARE ... only food seems to be exempt from price rises as I type ( Fresh fruit and vegetables aside ) ... although that spectre of Brexit in a few months ... ?

[Honey Badger]

.

[Chris From The Gulag]

CUK HAVE identified one of the two problems ... the £ 120 limit :

Whilst a rise in the National Living Wage will be welcome for many on low incomes, it will cause difficulties for thousands of carers who receive Carer’s Allowance and are looking to stay within the earnings threshold of £120 per week.

Time again Carers UK has called on the Government to align the National Living wage with the earning threshold for Carer’s Allowance so that carers are not faced with the upheaval and impact on their finances. It would make logical sense, as well as sending out a clear message around supporting carers in employment, to synchronise the earnings limit with the National Living Wage.

If on the " Real Living Wage " , how many will crash through that limit shortly ?

Knock on effects on other benefits ... WTCs perhaps ???

That now yearly game of " Chase The Limit " continues ... question remains as to why it remains a yearly problem ?

A communication problem and ... perhaps ... a lack of knowledge one ?

In any event , it still goes on and , for some , a few sleepness nights to boot ... not of their making.

There are responding to the Call ... juggling working with caring.

A new Government initiative perhaps ... " Starve 'Em Out " ... if they CANNOT do that juggling act ?

[Chris From The Gulag]

Yep ... prescriptions ?

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/social-a ... scriptions

For once , CUK took onboard our fears ... regretably , to no avail.

At least , Trussells and others in the food bank sector have made provision.

ANYTHING affecting The Street is on my radar.