What is a carer?

[Nucks]

A woman I know is classed as a carer for her autistic son, who is an adult. She is also disabled physically and suffers from depression and anxiety. Is carer just another word for companion? Or is it just a very basic level of care, like preparing meals and doing laundry? Do councils save money by not having much in the way of standards for carers?

[Fletch]

A woman I know is classed as a carer for her autistic son, who is an adult. She is also disabled physically and suffers from depression and anxiety. Is carer just another word for companion? Or is it just a very basic level of care, like preparing meals and doing laundry? Do councils save money by not having much in the way of standards for carers?

Someone who cares for someone unable to care for themselves. The level of care varies and I believe payment for such caring is set at different rates. It's even less than JSA so no quick way to some easy cash.

You could get £64.60 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.

You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.

You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person.

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance

The only advantage is not having to fulfil JSA requirements such as time spent looking for work, going on training schemes or slave labour (work experience)

The pittance afforded carers in this country is just another scandal around benefits and them forcing people in to poverty.

[George]

What Fletch says but there are an awful lot of informal carers- usually families but sometimes not who care for people with some really complex needs 24 hrs a day with no support either physically, emotionally or financially including young carers (children).
There there are many many formal carers that are generally managed by private agencies but commissioned by either local councils or CCG’s. There are also some people that pay for private care.

Years ago I nursed somone who had a private carer and I swear that she modelled herself on Mrs Danvers from Rebecca

[Guest]

Before the 1980s the title of carer didn't really exist. People with mental and physical disabilities were kept in state institutions - most towns had a mental hospital. These places were very expensive to run and the Thatcherites, in order to save money, came up with a clever wheeze called Care in the Community whereby people would look after friends and members of their own families with disabilities in their own homes. Initially the payments were relatively generous but still much, much cheaper than the cost of running care homes and hospitals. However these payments have been gradually eroded over time by the Tories, New Labour and the ConDems.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care_in_the_Community

Although the policy was clearly designed to provide care on the cheap it did have some positive consequences in that it allowed people with manageable disabilities to live relatively normal and fulfilling lives thanks to the dedication and hard work of their carers and of course the medicines and GP services provided by the NHS.

One mustn't forget that many carers will work long hours looking after people often with challenging behaviours - dementia sufferers for example. Carers should be lauded not denigrated.

[Lady Murasaki]

It’s a noble thing to do.if it means you can’t go out to work because of it you should get compensated in some way.

[Guest]

A woman I know is classed as a carer for her autistic son, who is an adult. She is also disabled physically and suffers from depression and anxiety. Is carer just another word for companion? Or is it just a very basic level of care, like preparing meals and doing laundry? Do councils save money by not having much in the way of standards for carers?

I care for my kids, should I give up work and get a weekly wage from the government for doing it?
I've noticed as well that people who have friends like this always say the 'carer' has a disability also. I feel it's just another way for the workshy to claim tax payers money.
My sister in laws son is autistic and she stayed at home to care for him while the husband worked. Later on as the boy grew up she started doing part time work. The lad is in his late 20's now and has moved into a house with other people who have disabilities and he loves it.
She did what she had to do, Not sat back and used her child as form of free money.

[guest]

A woman I know is classed as a carer for her autistic son, who is an adult. She is also disabled physically and suffers from depression and anxiety. Is carer just another word for companion? Or is it just a very basic level of care, like preparing meals and doing laundry? Do councils save money by not having much in the way of standards for carers?

I care for my kids, should I give up work and get a weekly wage from the government for doing it?
I've noticed as well that people who have friends like this always say the 'carer' has a disability also. I feel it's just another way for the workshy to claim tax payers money.
My sister in laws son is autistic and she stayed at home to care for him while the husband worked. Later on as the boy grew up she started doing part time work. The lad is in his late 20's now and has moved into a house with other people who have disabilities and he loves it.
She did what she had to do, Not sat back and used her child as form of free money.

So your kids don't go to school then?

Sometimes carers with one type of disability is still able to provide care for another, it saves the taxpayer money is the long run because a professional carer would cost more.

You sound like a typical Tory scum voter, selfish, sour and resentful of others because he/she has been reading far too much of Tory scum right wing press like the Daily Mail/Express etc and lacks a fully working brain cell to not be pulled in by the hate.

The person that needs the carer will have complex needs that have been assessed by government agencies, it's very rigid these days, so get off your high horse you idiot Tory.

[Not Self-centred Guest]

A woman I know is classed as a carer for her autistic son, who is an adult. She is also disabled physically and suffers from depression and anxiety. Is carer just another word for companion? Or is it just a very basic level of care, like preparing meals and doing laundry? Do councils save money by not having much in the way of standards for carers?

I care for my kids, should I give up work and get a weekly wage from the government for doing it?
I've noticed as well that people who have friends like this always say the 'carer' has a disability also. I feel it's just another way for the workshy to claim tax payers money.
My sister in laws son is autistic and she stayed at home to care for him while the husband worked. Later on as the boy grew up she started doing part time work. The lad is in his late 20's now and has moved into a house with other people who have disabilities and he loves it.
She did what she had to do, Not sat back and used her child as form of free money.

You look after your own kids so you get £20.70 per week for the first child and £13.70 per week for each further child. That looks like free money to me.

You say that a relatives son lives in a house for people with long term disabilities. In Winterbourne View, a residential care home for people with profound learning disabilities, the average weekly fee per patient was £3500 in 2010. Winterbourne View was shut down after a BBC undercover investigation found that the staff were mentally and physically abusing the residents.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... aff-jailed

Given those sort of figures it strikes me that your sister-in-law is too lazy to look after her own son and would rather burden the State with the huge cost of caring for him just so she can do a part time job earning pin money.

Of course if carers were actually paid at least the National Living Wage for their labours they would be paid far more than the paltry figure of £64.60 per week qoted in Fletch's post. So for a 10 hour day seven days a week - and many carers spend far longer time than that - they should be being paid a minimum of £548.10 gross.

It seems to me that the only person in this conversation who is workshy and lazy is you pal because you are coining at least 34 quid a week off us taxpayers and you're too lazy to check out the true cost of home care so blame others for your stupidity.

[LordRaven]

I take my hat off to carers, I know some and their efforts are ill appreciated.

[Dean]

I take my hat off to carers, I know some and their efforts are ill appreciated.

How much do you pay your carer, Raving?

[Gabby]

My Grandad was my Nans main carer for a few years.... he did it out of love... not money! .... too many people are so quick to screw the system.... obviously begrudge looking after a loved one without some financial gain!

[McAz]

My Grandad was my Nans main carer for a few years.... he did it out of love... not money! .... too many people are so quick to screw the system.... obviously begrudge looking after a loved one without some financial gain!

Most pensioners are not entitled to the allowance.

[NastyNickers]

My Grandad was my Nans main carer for a few years.... he did it out of love... not money! .... too many people are so quick to screw the system.... obviously begrudge looking after a loved one without some financial gain!

In the majority of cases it’s less financial gain and more keeping their head above water.

I don’t understand why anyone would begrudge a career any extra help.

[Gabby]

My Grandad was my Nans main carer for a few years.... he did it out of love... not money! .... too many people are so quick to screw the system.... obviously begrudge looking after a loved one without some financial gain!

Most pensioners are not entitled to the allowance.

He’d have done the same as a much younger man... too many scroungers out there!

[McAz]

My Grandad was my Nans main carer for a few years.... he did it out of love... not money! .... too many people are so quick to screw the system.... obviously begrudge looking after a loved one without some financial gain!

Most pensioners are not entitled to the allowance.

He’d have done the same as a much younger man... too many scroungers out there!

Yes, mostly the rich.