From: Greg Drozdz [greg@claspthecarerscentre.org.uk]
Sent: 11 February 2011 13:49
To: DWP Consultation DLAReform
Subject: CLASP

 

11th February 2011

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

 

I am writing to you on behalf of CLASP – the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Carers Centre, representing the carers who will be affected

 by the proposed DLA changes.

 

       We heard the Minister interviewed on Radio Leicester this morning and this has only added to our sense of disquiet as to what is happening. It

       appears to have slipped unnoticed but if there are going to be people who no longer have DLA - £1 billion slashed from the budget – there

       have to be losers – then a double whammy will come into play. You are well aware that Carers who are in receipt of the Carers Allowance – 

       currently -£53.90 (taxable) – have that allowance only if the cared for receives DLA. What you cut and swipe away affects those in receipt of 

       both  benefits.

 

       We applaud you for wanting to streamline bureaucracy and get rid of fraud but that is a minute fraction of what is being taken out of the DLA

       budget. Our carers believe that the government has lost its soul. The by-word of the General Election, less than a year ago, was “fairness”. This

       has been dropped from the political lexicon because reforms, such as the DLA reform, are patently unfair. Why is the government taking money

       out of “disability”. The word itself describes the vulnerability of the people involved. You don’t vote to be struck down with MS for instance but

       you do need help to manage the condition and function as a normal member of society.

 

       Please be clear that here is an opportunity for you sort out what is happening with the Carers Allowance. It does not need to be a universal

       credit but should stand alone in recognition of the value and worth of Carers, who save this country £87 billion – enough to bail out an ailing bank.

 

       Yours sincerely

 

       Gregory Drozdz

 

       Chief Executive Officer

       CLASP – The Carers Centre

       Matrix House

       7 Constitution Hill

       Leicester. LE1 1PL

 

       Tel: 0116 2510999

       Charity No: 1043956

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Say who you are and who you care for and that you are very concerned about losing Carer’s Allowance because the person you care for might lose their benefits 

1.Explain why you are worried (Do you think the person you care for is at risk of losing their DLA? Do they have a condition that changes and a medical professional might assess them on a good day and fail to take account of the worse times? Do you care for someone with a mental health condition or a learning disability which you are worried might not be assessed properly by a medical professional?). 

2.Explain what impact losing Carer’s Allowance would have on you (would you be worried about paying your basic bills, or affording to do anything for yourself, or would it mean caring was unaffordable for you and you couldn't carry on.  

3.State that you believe the Government should not be making cuts of £1 billion to disability benefits because of the devastating consequences it could have for disabled people and carers like you.   

4.Say that it you believe that Carer’s Allowance must remain outside of the Universal Credit. Carer's save the UK £87 billion every year with the care they provide and it would be wrong to take away Carer's Allowance from some carers by means-testing it, as this would leave some carers without any recognition of their contribution.