Who Cares for the Needs of Carers? Chronicle publishes Merlene's letter:

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 12th Jun 2009

Did you know that as many as one in eight adults or 6 million people provide unpaid care to someone they know who is ill, frail or disabled?

H&F Tory Council has introduced charges for essential home care services for the elderly and disabled at £12.40 an hour. But carers, often caring full time for those they love, only receive an allowance of £53.10 per week.

The economic cost of the care provided by this army of invisible carers (which includes an estimated 175,000 children) translates into the staggering amount of £87 billion which they are saving our economy.

The question then is who cares for carers? Many carers have given up an income, future employment prospects and pension rights to become a carer. Most simply can't afford to fall ill.

The carer's allowance is clearly not adequate. The Government has promised in their National Strategy for Carers to consider changes as part of a wider benefits reform by 2018. But can we honestly wait that long?

Let us consider during Carers Week (8-14 June) if more should be done for the vulnerable in our society.

Join me and the Liberal Democrats in calling for greater investment in carers as well as the urgent need to restore free community care in the borough. Support the Carer Poverty Charter as well as sign up to HAFCAC's petition asking H&F Council to stop charging for home care now:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/no-to-charging-disabled-and-older-people-for-essental-services.html