New Standing Commission On Carers
Campaigners have welcomed the decision and Gordon Brown confirmed that learning disabilities and carers campaigner Philippa Russell will chair the commission. In February this year Mr Brown announced that the government would revise the 1999 carers strategy during 2008 and confirmed plans for a £32million “new deal for carers”, a large proportion of which will be allocated to the development of home-based respite schemes for carers in crisis within every council.
The commission will oversee the implementation of both and in the long-term it will study examine issues such as the ageing population of carers and the increasing demand as well as the rising number of people with chronic conditions and mental health problems. Changes in the structure of the family unit will
also be studied.
Ms Russell, a commissioner for the Disability Rights Commission, welcomed the invitation to chair the commission. She said, “The past decade has seen a growing debate about what we mean by ‘social care’, with disabled people and family carers ambitious for support services which promote independent living and enable them to lead ordinary lives.”
Carers UK have called for the new commission to also examine the amount of financial support provided to carers. A report from the charity in May highlighted that more than 50% of carers had given up their job to care for a loved one, a third of carers are in financial crisis and one in ten carers are struggling to afford their rent or maintain their mortgage repayments.
The commission will oversee the implementation of both and in the long-term it will study examine issues such as the ageing population of carers and the increasing demand as well as the rising number of people with chronic conditions and mental health problems. Changes in the structure of the family unit will
Ms Russell, a commissioner for the Disability Rights Commission, welcomed the invitation to chair the commission. She said, “The past decade has seen a growing debate about what we mean by ‘social care’, with disabled people and family carers ambitious for support services which promote independent living and enable them to lead ordinary lives.”
Carers UK have called for the new commission to also examine the amount of financial support provided to carers. A report from the charity in May highlighted that more than 50% of carers had given up their job to care for a loved one, a third of carers are in financial crisis and one in ten carers are struggling to afford their rent or maintain their mortgage repayments.