Valuing and Supporting Carers

Valuing and Supporting Carers
Author: Terry Rooney
Publsiher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2009-09
Genre: Caregivers
ISBN: 0215523490

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Valuing and Supporting Carers

Valuing and Supporting Carers
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee,Terry Rooney
Publsiher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 142
Release: 2008-08-29
Genre: Caregivers
ISBN: 0215523482

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This report, (HCP 485-I, ISBN 9780215523488), from the Work and Pensions Committee, is entitled "Valuing and Supporting Carers". It examines the issues surrounding the role of carers in society and what the Government needs to do to support them. It is estimated that the public purse saves £87bn each year, from the unpaid support carers provide. Further, with the increase in population and better healthcare increasing life expectancy, there will be greater demand on such care and support. The Committee believes it is essential that carers of working age are able to sustain their ability to remain in work and are provided help in returning to work. In June 2008, the Government published its new 10 year vision for carers "Carers at the Heart of the 21st Century Families and Communities" (http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/publicationsandstatistics/publications/publicationspolicyandguidance/DH_085345?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=166685&Rendition=Web). The publication set out a number of commitments, including: the provision of information and advice; breaks provision for carers; improved support from the NHS; support to help carers better combine work and care. The Committee though expresses disappointment that the issue of benefits for carers was not directly addressed in the Carers Strategy and has only been identified as a long term priority from 2011 onwards. The Committee states that the current system of benefits for carers is outdated and recommends the introduction of two distinctive tiers of support for carers, offering: (i) income replacement support for carers unable to work, or working only part-time; (ii) compensation for additional costs of caring for all carers intensive caring roles. The financial pressures on carers arise from additional costs of caring and from reduced working hours, moving into lower paid work, or giving up work. One of the major reasons that carers struggle to remain in work is because of a lack of affordable, reliable and flexible care services. Carers often lose touch with the work environment and the Committee believes that where people have been caring for someone over a long period of time, they require a tailored support to re-enter employment, supported by advisers. The Committee believes that a joined up cross-governmental approach is required to ensure that carers are supported in the wider social care system. For Volume 2 of this report, oral and written evidence, see (ISBN 9780215523495).

Valuing and Supporting Carers

Valuing and Supporting Carers
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Work and Pensions Committee
Publsiher: Unknown
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2008
Genre: Caregivers
ISBN: 0215523490

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Tackling pensioner poverty

Tackling pensioner poverty
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee
Publsiher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 136
Release: 2009-07-30
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0215540476

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The level of pensioner poverty has declined markedly since 1997. However, there are still 2 million pensioners in poverty and 1.1 million who live on below 50% of median income. The Committee considers this to be unacceptable, and in this report looks at what more the Government could do to lift pensioners out of poverty. Pension Credit has lifted large numbers of pensioners out of poverty. Take-up of Pension Credit improved rapidly after its introduction, but has since levelled off with many eligible pensioners still not claiming. Despite the best efforts of the Pension Disability and Carers Service (PDCS) it is seeing diminishing returns for its efforts. Take-up of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit amongst pensioners has also declined since 1997. Improving take-up of all three benefits would markedly improve pensioner poverty. Local Authorities need to work much more closely with PDCS, to ensure that information on people who may be eligible for Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are (with permission) exchanged in both directions. This is not done at present and should therefore be trialled and depending on its success applied nationally. The Department has put a lot of effort into encouraging pensioners to claim Pension Credit, then directing them towards other benefits. The Committee concludes that there should be a single phone line for all three benefits.The lack of data PDCS collects on Pension Credit take-up, especially amongst vulnerable groups is a disappointment for the Committee and makes it very difficult for them to suggest ways to effectively target these groups.The automaticity pilots introduced in the Welfare Reform Bill is welcomed as is the Department taking a long term approach and seeking to find innovative ways to improve take-up. Among other benefits the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA) is looked at, and also the differences between Disability Living Allowance (DLA) payable to those who become disabled under 65, and Attendance Allowance (AA), payable to those who become disabled after the age of 65. The Committee were impressed by the model used by Service Canada, which provides advice on all federal benefits, and provides signposting to other services. While no pensioner should be expected to work after 65, many would like to. Working longer can allow them to maintain social contacts, and to defer claiming a pension, something that can have a positive effect on their future income. The Committee calls for the Default Retirement Age to be abolished and for protection from discrimination for older workers to be strengthened, to ensure that every pensioner who wishes to can continue working. Past recessions have led to disproportionate numbers of older workers over 50 losing their jobs and never working again. The Department must not allow this to happen again.

Valuing and Supporting Carers

Valuing and Supporting Carers
Author: Great Britain. Parliament House of Commons. Work and Pensions Committee
Publsiher: Unknown
Total Pages: 25
Release: 2010-03
Genre: Caregivers
ISBN: 0215525566

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Care and Support Rights After Neoliberalism

Care and Support Rights After Neoliberalism
Author: Yvette Maker
Publsiher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 329
Release: 2022-04-28
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9781108485203

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This book offers an approach to care and support policy prioritizing gender equality, disability human rights and dignity for all.

Raising Expectations and Increasing Support

Raising Expectations and Increasing Support
Author: Great Britain. Department for Work and Pensions
Publsiher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2008
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0101750625

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This White Paper follows the consultation paper "No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility" (Cm. 7363, ISBN 9780101736329) which was itself based on the reforms proposed by David Freud in his report "Reducing dependency, increasing opportunity: options for the future of welfare to work" (2007, DWP, www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2007/welfarereview.pdf). It sets out how the Government plans to take the proposals forward. The Government's vision for the welfare state is one where everyone is required to fulfill their responsibilities to prepare for, look for and take up work, with support provided at all stages, particularly given the recent economic downturn. The Government proposes a simpler benefits system, with the development of a single income-replacement benefit for people of working age: initially those currently on Income Support will move to either the Employment and Support Allowance or Jobseeker's Allowance. Changes to Housing Benefit will also be investigated in 2009. Jobcentre Plus is an effective delivery vehicle and will receive an extra £1.3 billion funding, but it will be supported by more use of private and voluntary services (which already supply 40 per cent of DWP's employment programmes). Devolving power to the local level will increase effectiveness of service delivery. This paper also responds to and supports the Gregg report on personal conditionality ("Realising potential ... ISBN 9780101749923) where everyone on benefits is expected to take active steps towards work. Support for disabled people will be enhanced and become more personalised. Those on incapacity benefits will move to the Employment and Support Allowance. More support for jobseekers will be matched by higher expectations. All the reforms are designed to increase employment and release resources for the ending of child poverty by 2020.

Social care

Social care
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Health Committee
Publsiher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 134
Release: 2010-03-12
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0215544668

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The Health Committee calls for fundamental reform of the social care system in England and says political point-scoring must stop. Instead of indulging in pre-election politicking, all the parties should come together to map out sustainable reform. Consensus on the details of reforms must be achieved early in the new Parliament and a failure to do so will betray current and future generations. The report says the current social care system is chronically underfunded, severely rationed, locally variable, too often of poor quality and discriminates against older people. The Committee is highly critical of the Government's Free Personal Care at Home Bill which it says smacks of policy-making on the hoof and risks creating perverse incentives and being substantially underfunded. Free care funded from taxation has many supporters but has been ruled out as an option by the Government. The Committee urges debate on this issue. It also acknowledges the widespread concern about the proposed reform of disability benefits for older people, noting the lack of clear information from the Government on who the winners and losers will be. To mitigate significantly the worst aspects of the existing funding system, as an interim measure, the Committee recommends raising the capital thresholds in the means test. The Committee strongly supports giving people more choice and control over their care and support, but emphasises that vulnerable people must be properly protected.