Carers are the hidden workforce that the government employs for 50 pounds a week to support disabled people in receipt of higher or middle rate care DLA. This, of course saves the government a whole lot of money, as they don't need to bring in external providers to support disabled people. In fact, as a disabled person myself, I wasn't given the choice as to who cared for me when I needed it, it was a family member or no one. Carers allowance went some way to cushioning the financial impact of this drastic change in circumstances.
For those who dont know Disability living Allowance is seen as a passported benefit. In that, when in reciept of DLA, it entitles you to other things. I have a cinema discount, a bus pass and a coachcard thanks to my DLA. It provides society with an easy label ie. DLA= Disabled person.
So, how will this change under PIP? I went to my trusted friend google and found these:
www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/pip-briefing-passporting.pdf
In this document it highlights the passporting effect of DLA and the aims to bring it forward into PIP, especially in relation to carers allowance. That was in 2011.
www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/pip-briefing-carers-allowance.pdf
In this document from 2013, things seem to have changed. In this table it shows that ten thousand carers will no longer be entitled to the allowance. My question is, what will happen to those 10,000 disabled people who previously needed middle or higher rate levels of care. They wont get better, or not be in need of it because the governement stops the allowance. They will still need this, and surely it will have to come from somewhere? Have the government forgotten about this cheap labour source they have? Changing these people from disabled people into 'non disabled people' is pretty easy on paper. It only takes a change of entitlement. However in real life, these people, and the needs they have are still there, and will presumably need to be met from somwhere?
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