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‘I feel completely ignored’: the human impact of respite care costs

  • May 1, 2024



‘I feel completely ignored’: the human impact of respite care costs

me and me and Arin we were so close we were together all the time basically in this story everything begins with a promise I couldn’t let her down and I promised my sister when she was dying that I would look after him so I took on that responsibility thanks Marie now cares for her sister’s son Steven S days a week what you putting on like me but in 3 and a half years she hasn’t had a break the 2014 Care Act made many promises of its own one of the key vows was that unpaid carers would get some rest bite alls I’ve asked for off the social services is to try and give me that break the one week here or the one week there um and as I said in the past few years they’ve not been able to do that I’m not entitled to rest by because I don’t actually live with Steven so he gets down in the dumps because obviously he doesn’t go anywhere he’s not asking for a week in Barbados he’s asking for a week in Southport I need the break as well I need that rest he needs that rest I need to recuperate I need a lion once in a you know in a year at least Marie doesn’t want to leave Steven in a care home she says he’s young and wants to talk and socialize with people rather than just go watch TV in a small room but the council won’t fund a rest bite break leaving Marie like millions of other carers feeling overwhelmed I can’t imagine ever being okay with myself if he went into a n home I would hate that it’s like it’s like putting them into prison throwing away the key I just feel completely ignored I feel like because you’re family they know that you will stay here and do what needs to be done they they know that I can’t just walk away a spokesperson for Liverpool city council said we are actively supporting Marie and have arranged a social work visit to discuss respite options and also to review Steven’s care and support needs the council is committed to supporting carers and provides rest bite care to meet individuals needs and circumstances more than 200 miles from Liverpool and a world away from Steven and Marie is funding decisions made in whiteall that dictate how much English local authorities get to divvy out on rest spite as part of the social care Grant but do we really know how the government decides what it spends on this vital support campaigners say critical data is being kept secret but now in a landmark case the treasury’s calculations could be made public for the first time ever this case matters because it speaks to the heart of government transparency it’s simply not good enough for government to say that they are adequately funding social care when all of the other evidence out there seems to contradict that position Carrie gimer says this case would expose that funding Gap problems with the data biases and even unmet need that’s the absolute Crux of this case we are trying to understand how much money is needed to actually fund social care why don’t we know this why is the government keeping the secret government are saying that they need um privacy in order to make public policy decisions do you buy that I don’t buy it I think that does the information commissioner buy it and the information commissioner doesn’t buy it either um the information commissioner has held that it’s in the public interest to disclose this information now within weeks it’ll be up to a tribunal to decide whether the treasury gets to keep its Secrets over 400,000 people are waiting for assessment care or support and those waiting more than 6 months have increased by an incredible 99% plus just 6% of social care bosses are confident they can meet their legal duties so the social care system is really really struggling it has been for some time time funding for the system has not kept up with the pressures many people go without the care they need unpaid carers are under huge stress the health Foundation says just to continue to muddle through within eight years the social care budget will have to increase by 8.3 billion just to meet demand it will need an additional 10 billion to help people who are currently falling through the net and ensure care providers ERS don’t go bust the department for leveling up housing and communities told this program we know councils are seeing increased demand for Adult and Children’s social care services that’s why we have given £500 million of new funding this new funding means adult social care expenditure has increased in both cash and real terms year on year since 2015 but the needs of many remain unmet it’s hard it’s hard when you caring for people your life is is St stopped basically despite all this Marie has kept her promise to her sister the question is whether in the current stormy Financial weather the government will stick to theirs and late this afternoon Liverpool city council added to their statement on Marie’s case telling us a social work visit has been arranged to discuss the current Support options available and also to review Marie’s nephew’s care and support needs including his contingency plans for when his aunt is on holiday we acknowledge there have been a number of social workers involved in supporting Marie’s nephew over recent years and we apologize for this

Local councils in England face the voters tomorrow with many struggling to stay afloat. Many council leaders say the cost of social care is a huge challenge which now absorbs two-thirds of their budgets. But at the same time, many carers say they’re not getting the support they need. (Subscribe: https://bit.ly/C4_News_Subscribe)

Now a charity has taken central government to an Information Tribunal in a bid to force them to reveal how they decide how much money is allocated for social care.

We met one woman fighting to get the help she needs as she looks after her nephew 365 days a year.

Liverpool City Council added to their statement on Marie’s case, telling us: “A social work visit has been arranged to discuss the current support options available and also to review Marie’s nephew’s care and support needs, including his contingency plans for when his aunt is on holiday.”

“We acknowledge that there have been a number of Social Workers involved in supporting Marie’s nephew over recent years, and we apologise for this.”

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30 comments

  4. I loved the two elderly folks i cared for. Yes i didn't look at it as job. My friend Judy and i cared for her aunt for a long time. Yes she fired me at least once a week. I occasionally got her jelly doughnuts at least once a week. Finally after getting fired 4 times in 2 weeks she looked at me and said i just cant run off can i. I told her i didn't take it seriously personally . She gave me a hug and said i love you you're tough. We became more than care giver and employed we became friends. friends

  7. It is possible to find a residential home for disabled and elderly relatives with complex or continual care or nursing needs. A good home can actually give the person being cared for more opportunities for recreation, relationships and outings. It can give independence back to the cared for person.

    My m-i-l has gone from strength to strength at her care home. They are available 24/365. The downside is that this level of care costs £1000+ per week.

  8. It's shocking even if the guy wanted to go to Barbados then this should be facilitated. This is what we worked hard to bring people out of old school long term institutions. It's all about costs cutting/ funding cuts. It's people's lives at the end of the day 😢

  9. There is no support for care in any way. I was promised a hospital bed( i managed to get a new bed & we are still waiting for the promised bed)for my mother that i got out of hospital after a stroke just day's before COVID lockdown. I got stuck abroad even though the country i was in was exempt from COVID laws. It took 6 months to get shopping for my then 83 year old stroke victim mother & no shops would deliver. I had to beg people to do the shopping but the actual carers were wonderful but believed the Lise on the tv & were shocked when I finally returned & produced the actual act.

  10. Supported residential accommodation for younger folks with physical and learning difficulties would include games, group activities and days out. People confuse supported accommodation with visions of elderly care nursing homes. Perhaps if he stayed in one for a couple of weeks she would get respite and he could see if he actually liked it and she could visit and take him out whenever. They are not gulags

  14. Get your finger out. If she can't do it anymore (carer breakdown) it'll cost you a helluva lot more than the measly respite their asking for. 😠

  15. Where does all the money go? We have no public services, the infrastructure is collapsing..we should be able to hold the government to account for where they are putting all the taxpayers money!

  18. Tories! Carers need their benefit without any restrictions on earnings. You care you are taxed but not sanctioned. Why this rule is in place is madness. They are literallly slaves. No wonder Tory land want out the ECHR. More tribunals. ^^ Let carers work in betweem care or while they care. That will fund their own respite needs. Why must it always be black and white.

  20. Our council's only care about 1 think and that is how much money they receive for them. My rent is ridiculous on this 2 bed flat. Real talk 👄

  23. The 🇬🇧 UK Governments politicians labor and Conservatives have Destroyed the UK with lies Incompetent and Corruption
    Vote Reform it's the only chance we have 👍
    FYI HS2 london to Birmingham 120 Billion pounds 60 Billion over Budget
    Disgraceful

  25. Unpaid carers save the country £162 billion per year – the equivalent of the entire NHS budget. Every time a carer gives up on unpaid caring because they can’t afford to live, it costs the public purse around £88,816 per year to provide 24/7 care to that carer’s loved one. The country would go bankrupt overnight if carers stopped putting up with this nonsense – they are holding this country up and out of economic implosion.

  26. Unpaid carers of adult disabled people have no legal responsibility to keep providing free care. The free care they provide saves the state £163 billion per year. Or if you want to look at it individually, if the state had to provide 24/7 care for a carer’s loved one because the carer decided to stop providing free care, it would cost the public purse £82,992 per year. Carer’s on low/no income because they’ve been forced to give up work (due to closure of day centres), recieve £4,258.8 per year. Carer’s who receive benefits therefor contribute £78,733.20 per year to the state.

    Meanwhile every MP costs us £91,346 every year in basic salary, not to mention all the extra allowances for second homes and so on. The tories have been in power for a decade and a half. What demonstrable contribution to our economy/community have they made to offset the enormous costs of their benefits? Tories need to stop leaching off the public purse.

  28. I had to put my 20 year old into care last year. Hardest decision I've ever made. There is no help for us and I had done it on my own the majority of her life. Couldn't cope anymore still trying to find normality.

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