Carer’s allowance and older carers – AGE UK

Carer Watch have long had serious concerns regarding older carers and how there is so little support for them.

Therefore we are pleased to see this campaign by Age UK and fully support it.


Carer Watch believe the situation faced by many elderly carers is in crisis now, and with further cutbacks planned from Coalition government, with changes to welfare reform/ funding of Social Care - we believe this situation will worsen as time unfolds.

It is time for action from government, not more words

We contacted Age UK and received this -

‘This year Age UK’s campaigns team have worked with older carers in various parts of the country. They told us that they found caring for a loved one rewarding but that they also felt exhausted and stressed. Many had poor health themselves. They said they felt undervalued and invisible.

At the beginning of November we launched a campaign called ‘Invisible but Invaluable’ to call for more financial, practical and emotional support for older carers. We have put together a photo exhibition with the help of a professional photographer, which features carers and the people they care for and their stories. It is aimed at making them visible to their MPs who make decisions on the care system; to the authorities who may be contemplating taking away what little support is available; and to members of the public who may be their neighbour or friend and could offer support.



We have produced a report again called ‘Invisible but Invaluable’ which can be downloaded from the webpage. The carers also put together a booklet called ‘From us to you’ which contains top tips to other older carers which is also downloadable from the website or can be ordered there.’



Best Wishes

Margaret



Senior Campaigns Officer



Links from Age UK website -

Carers Allowance and Older carers

Make carers visible again

Photographs by Sam Mellish – click at the bottom of each page to move to next pic.

Invisible but Invaluable





Several testimonies from Carer Watch members and supporters

Dugsie – elderly carers arise

John - Carers at breaking point

Peter – Full rate of carers allowance to be paid to pensioners

Dugsie – Evaluation of the caring capacity of older carers

Cathy – Carers need a wage not praise