So well said.
Wonder what they will find when they come up north!
Demand, divide & LA’s facing near bankruptcy.
DWP stance on carers is appalling!

Dear Anonymous

An accurate summary of the current picture for Carers.

I fully support all that you say; LA’s are absolutely failing in their duty towards Carers under the Care Act 2014 and unless there are penalties for LA’s, it will continue.

Most Carers are struggling, physically mentally and emotionally, and some are being hounded/criminilised by the DWP for their over payment mistakes.

Without unpaid Carers this country would be bankrupt

They deserve more…much more

Carers: Relatively few received an assessment last year, though despite this waiting times averaged 24 days. Staff attributed this to “a relatively weak offer” for carers, with most such provision being for the person they were caring for, rather than the carer themselves.

The statement above is an indication that assessments for carers are still service driven, rather than needs led.

A carers assessment is not just a gateway to services. It’s an intervention in itself. Without a carers assessment, how have the eligible needs of carers been identified that support the need for provision of ‘replacement care’?

The fundamental function of assessing need, which is a main duty, has not been understood or met, which undermines one of main aims of the care act by supporting carers.