Nearly 3 million people in the UK juggle caring for a close friend or family member with holding down a job. The main carers' benefit is worth just £62.10 for a minimum of 35 hours - that's a shocking only £1.77 per hour.
Over 1 million people in the UK care for more than one person and it is estimated that by 2037 the number of carers in the UK will have increased to 9 million. I am a carer providing 12 hours of care 7 days a week. The law says I only need £139.59 a week to live on. £82.32 pays my mortgage leaving me £57.27 a week to live on. The only way we can survive is with my Fathers' pension, pension credit and attendance allowance.
During the last 6 months my 84 year old father , whom I care for, has Alzheimer's Disease, a restricted artery coming from his heart, interstitial lung disease and double incontinence, has spent 7 weeks in hospital; 1-week first visit and six weeks on the second visit.
The Councils waste money on an obscene level, Council bosses and MPs are paid more wages (tax payers money) than anyone could possibly need to live on, let alone the astronomic expenses, and for what? Yet the countries biggest money savers, carers, are left in poverty. This can only be classed as a cruel and abusive use of power. It has to stop.
Mine is just one case. Many carers across the UK suffer from this false economy. Please bring morality into British politics before you cripple the country for good. Losing my house, which has been my father’s home and my childhood home for 46 years would kill him through depression. Depression is a very real problem with those living with Alzheimer's.
A caring role is probably the most draining job; emotionally and physically, that anyone can do. Watching your loved ones slowly die is painful, and drains every part of the carer. This is hard enough without poverty being added to the stress.
The Government introduced the 'Care in the Community' bill, and it is the Government who is now punishing those who care enough to give up all in their lives to comply. Just because we care, we are used and abused. I implore everyone to fight for the rights of all carers across Britain. Give us a fair pay. It would mean we could afford the necessities that go with looking after our loved ones, and reduce the stress levels hugely.
I am on the equivalent of £1.66 per hour for an 84 hour working week where stress and emotional and physical exhaustion levels can be off the charts, and many could not do it. A sedentary job like shelf stacking which anyone could do demands the minimum wage of £7.20 per hour.