The way the country treats unpaid carers is obscene
I cared for my Grandad for 10 years since he took me in from my parents as a kid.
He passed away a few years ago and only just have I gotten to a reasonable level of savings and income, it’s not just what they pay that is the problem, it’s what it does to you physically and mentally to deal with the tasks that full time caring requires. It’s having no savings due to low allowances and high costs for things like specialized diets (in my case), sometimes having to buy your own disability adapted equipment and other quality of life things like taking your caree for a day out which believe me helps a lot to keep you from falling into routine and depression.
It left me, when he died, with £250 in overdraft and a house tenancy thrusted on me with all the bedroom tax, heating costs and tax bills and the only experience I have had (I went into caring fresh out of highschool) is in the care industry, which I would never do for even £15 per hour. It drains the soul out of you and the only reason I stuck around so long was for my grandad.
I’m doing better now, I’m out of my overdraft and finally in a new flat after 3 years on the housing list, though I did have to get my friend to help me with moving costs.
I guess my take away is the government will take you for granted that they can just pay you £60 a week and expect the caree to foot the bill on everything else from clothing to food to days out.
Thankfully Universal Credit pays my rent. The recent uplift was a godsend. £20 a week was a massive boost for me meaning I could buy luxuries, mainly food.
I don’t understand how the government thinks its acceptable to give me less than £70 a week for a pretty much 24/7 job.
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The way the country treats unpaid carers is obscene
I cared for my Grandad for 10 years since he took me in from my parents as a kid.
He passed away a few years ago and only just have I gotten to a reasonable level of savings and income, it’s not just what they pay that is the problem, it’s what it does to you physically and mentally to deal with the tasks that full time caring requires. It’s having no savings due to low allowances and high costs for things like specialized diets (in my case), sometimes having to buy your own disability adapted equipment and other quality of life things like taking your caree for a day out which believe me helps a lot to keep you from falling into routine and depression.
It left me, when he died, with £250 in overdraft and a house tenancy thrusted on me with all the bedroom tax, heating costs and tax bills and the only experience I have had (I went into caring fresh out of highschool) is in the care industry, which I would never do for even £15 per hour. It drains the soul out of you and the only reason I stuck around so long was for my grandad.
I’m doing better now, I’m out of my overdraft and finally in a new flat after 3 years on the housing list, though I did have to get my friend to help me with moving costs.
I guess my take away is the government will take you for granted that they can just pay you £60 a week and expect the caree to foot the bill on everything else from clothing to food to days out.
Thankfully Universal Credit pays my rent. The recent uplift was a godsend. £20 a week was a massive boost for me meaning I could buy luxuries, mainly food.
I don’t understand how the government thinks its acceptable to give me less than £70 a week for a pretty much 24/7 job.