Free Training for Carers - January 2013

Looking to learn some new skills that may help you in your caring role?

Below are the training opportunities we have due to start in January 2013 (click the image to enlarge).

Parents who look after grown-up disabled offspring face benefit cap

The government's proposed benefit cap will apply to carers looking after their disabled offspring, forcing some parents to move out of their home or put their child into care, it has been confirmed.

Ministers have repeatedly said disabled people will be exempt from the £500-a-week benefit cap that is due to come into force in April.

But they have now accepted that if a parent is still looking after a disabled child after they reach adulthood, even if the child's mental age is as low as eight, the parent and the child will be treated separately, and the parent will be subject to the benefits cap.

Full Article on Guardian Society

NHS 'should operate seven days a week'

Hospitals and GPs' surgeries could soon be expected to provide more routine services at the weekend under proposals to accelerate the spread of seven-day working across the National Health Service.


The move, which threatens a confrontation with doctors who want to maintain working conditions and fear the NHS cannot afford the extra staffing required, is part of a plan which chiefs say will ensure the health service operates for the convenience of patients rather than its staff.

Full Article on The Independent

Welfare was a hot topic

Some 107 people took part in a question time event at Devizes Town Hall hosted by Carer Support Wiltshire to mark National Carers Rights Day.

Devizes MP Claire Perry, Citizens Advice Bureau chief executive Sarah Cardy and solicitor Simon Lofthouse, from Awdry, Bailey and Douglas, were among Friday’s panel answering concerns over welfare reforms due to begin next April.

Questions ranged from the effects on households under-occupying their properties – the so-called ‘bedroom tax’ – to whether ATOS, the French company responsible for work capability assessments, should be penalised for the inaccurate tests.

Taken from This is Wiltshire

Universal Credit: 2 million will be better off refusing work

Despite David Cameron’s promise to ensure that employment “always pays” more than benefits, the government admitted “there is a risk” that working women will decide they should give up their jobs when Universal Credit is introduced.

Couples with children are likely to be among the hardest hit by the changes to the benefits system, which are being rolled out across the UK from next year, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.

The warnings result from the fact that the more people work, the more they pay in tax and national insurance, and the more they will lose in means-tested benefits under the plans.

Full Article on Telegraph

Disabled man takes government to court over benefit test

A disabled man who was incorrectly found fit for work under the government's disability benefit assessment is launching a legal action against the government and Atos, the private company performing the tests. Patrick Lynch, a former social care worker who was forced to stop work because of a condition affecting his brain, is seeking a judicial review of the controversial "work capability assessment". More than 11,000 disabled people a week are taking the tests, which involve interviews with Atos doctors and nurses to identify those who can work.

Charities and disabled groups say the assessment is "not fit for purpose", with appeals against 40% of claims that are turned down. They cite cases of suicide where the coroner has said denial of benefits was a contributory factor. The BBC's Panorama this year found a case of a man who died of heart failure just 39 days after being found fit for work.

Full Article on Guardian Society

Moira Fraser: 5.8 Million Carers - and they still need a break

For the last three years, Carers Trust has been trying to keep track of the £400 million over four years that was given by the Coalition Government to support carers in England. Carers are a good deal taxpayer-wise. They save the state billions every year in care costs that would otherwise need to be met.

On the day we've found out that the number of people in the census who say they look after a friend or family member has increased from 5.2 million in England and Wales in 2001 to 5.8 million in 2011, we've published a report - Carers breaks on the brink? - looking at what's been done with this cash. Caring should matter to all of us. One in 10 of us is a carer. Carers often have to give up work to care, or end up with health problems of their own. If carers reach the point of exhaustion and being unable to cope, this helps no-one.

Full Blogpost on Huffington Post

Caring and nutrition: live discussion roundup

Best bits from The Guardian's online live discussion on nutrition and caring – and how malnutrition can be better considered in policymaking.

Read on The Guardian

Wiltshire Council to agree Council Tax base

Wiltshire Council will be giving around £300,000 to town and parish councillors across the region to make up for a Government reduction in the Council Tax base.

This follows a Government announcement that from April 2013, Council Tax support, previously known as Council Tax Benefit, will now take the form of a Council Tax reduction, reducing the Council Tax base for 2013/14 across the country.

This was confirmed in November at a time when many town and parish councils had already prepared their precepts for next year.

Full Article on Gazette & Herald

Creative Carers Groups: January - June 2013

Our Creative Carers groups meet regularly and the sessions will offer you the chance to meet with other Carers, be creative and have some fun.

We try to offer a variety of activities during the year so you can try out lots of different things. You're welcome to just come along to the ones you're interested in and don't have to attend every group.

Please don’t feel that you need to have any particular skills as the sessions are very informal and help will be on hand. 
 

For more information contact Carer Support Wiltshire on 0800 181 4118 or email info@carersinwiltshire.co.uk

Devizes 

The Nursteed Centre, Nursteed Road, 

Devizes SN10 3AF 

9.30am until 12.30pm

Thurs 10^th January - Card Making 

Thurs 4^th April - Hands Project 

Thurs 4^th July - Painted birds

Chippenham 
Pewsham Community Centre, Lodge Road, Pewsham, Chippenham SN15 3GE 
11am until 2pm 

Friday 1^st February - Calligraphy 

Friday 3^rd May - Crochet

Royal Wootton Bassett 

The Civic Centre, Station Road, 

Royal Wootton Bassett SN4 7DZ 

11am until 2pm 

Friday 1st March - Rag Rugs 

Friday 7^th June - Jewellery making   

Salisbury 

The Carers Centre, 15 New Street,  

Salisbury SP1 2PH  

To find out about activities in Salisbury  

contact Diana at The Carers Centre  

Tel: 01722 322746