Sligo Champion, Wednesday December 30 2009
Family carers across Sligo are outraged and bitterly disappointed that the Government has introduced a blanket 3.9% cut to social welfare payments to all carers. This equates to a reduction of €8.50 per week or €442 per annum for carers in receipt of the carers allowance, they say.
"Family carers are the only social welfare recipients who have to work for their payment by providing full time care in the home to older people, those sick and disabled and have already suffered a 2% decrease in welfare payments due to the abolishment of the Christmas bonus this year.
"The Carers Association says that the cut to welfare payments for family carers will be the last straw for many who are not in a position to seek alternative sources of income due to their caring roles and, in the worst cases, will force carers to put relatives and family into State care. This goes against stated government policy of caring for people in their own homes for as long as possible and proves Government's misunderstanding of the sciences of false economy.
"In the run up to Budget 2010 we have been flooded with calls from carers who are extremely worried and who will seriously struggle to keep providing full time care with this additional cut to the carers allowance, the suspension of the Christmas bonus and reductions in many health services.
We also need to bear in mind the fact that there are additional costs involved in providing care in the home such as higher heating and electricity bills, special dietary requirements for specific conditions and medication costs for cared for persons" said Nick Nixon, Centre Manager of The Carers Association, Sligo.
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