I’m the main carer of my 2 daughters It seems you are able to claim this allowance if you care for another person for 35 hours or more per week If this person was in state care the care worker or personal assistant would be paid £8.21 or more for doing the same job... This needs changing . It beggars belief that people are paid £1.84 per hour because you are a parent , family member or friend My youngest daughter has cerebral palsy and complex medical needs which are also life threatening My oldest daughter has autism high functioning . I have dedicated my life to look after my family as that’s my duty as as a parent. But can honestly say what a challenge it’s been over the years as their both 24 & 25 years old now . There’s been plenty of sleepless nights and endless days of worries wondering if you’re child or loved one will pull through whatever life has thrown at them On two occasions my daughter has fought for her life and all we could do was pray she’d pull through. Luckily she did and I’m telling you what it’s like to be a Carer Carers story. Our day starts between 3-4am each morning when toilet duty starts with my youngest as she’s got digestive problems too along with severe epilepsy so she can’t be left alone. We’ll get her back to bed around 5 am if we’re lucky we’ll go asleep until say 6 or 7am . When Jodie wakes up again I have to give breakfast and meditation after that it’s shower time . After all personal cares have been done we’re normally back on toilet duty which we must do at least 30 times per day as jo also has short term memory loss . In between personal cares etc there’s housework, shopping and entertaining the person you are looking after. There’s endless hospital appointments to attend especially if the person has complex medical needs . This can have a huge impact on the Carers mental health and general wellbeing. The feeling of isolation a Carer or family member may feel from time to time can be quite overwhelming . If you are a Carer and also the parent you are classed as their legal guardian which means you’re responsible for every aspect of the persons life !!! What a responsibility. My health suffered badly as I ended up with a over active thyroid, TED and had a stroke , copd Before this I was working part time in the NHS in learning dis & mental health as a Support Worker . Again whilst working there I witnessed firsthand how much is expected from parents and most are at breaking point as they have been a Carer for so many years. I loved my job but I found I didn’t have enough of me to go around and my family had to come first so I resigned .. I know a lot of families who have children or young adults and elderly relatives that dedicate their lives to their family and with no support financially or emotionally. I’ve also known lovely families who have had so much to deal with their relationship with their partner has broken down . It’s an insult to think it’s acceptable to pay a shocking £1.84 per hour to a Carer .. you have to look after the person for 35 hours or more per week to receive £64.60 I do what I do for my daughters through love I don’t see it as a job but the government clearly does as your not allowed to earn over £120 per week if you do you don’t qualify but your still Caring . I don’t claim any benefits as my husband works full time but I do receive Carers allowance. I also set up a social club for young adults over 16 with disabilities and complex medical needs I do this voluntary. Again lack of services for the most vulnerable in our community. Thank you for taking the time to read this rather long message. Please get your friends and family to sign and share and get our Carers what they deserve and that’s fare-pay

The regular trips with my daughter to Great Ormond Street Hospital just got even more expensive. Free disabled parking has been scrapped. There are no hourly rates and no concessions. It costs £15 to park. Disabled people have a daily struggle to get to places. APCOA now manage car parking for National Rail at Guildford Station and the car parking at these venues for disabled blue badge holders is no longer free. This is causing disabled people not only financial issues but is massively impacting on their day to day stress levels. I've just started this petition and would be really grateful if you could take the time to sign it. Thanks so much.

Vale Royal Disability Services (VRDS) in Cheshire is under threat of closure. The Board of Trustees, who operate the organisation, are currently deciding what the future holds for this essential service. VRDS is an essential lifeline for disabled and elderly people in Cheshire and aids them to get on in life. It allows them to access vital free information on benefits, education and employment. VDRS also provide mobility services, helping people access things like scooters wheelchairs and walking frames. If hundreds of us living in Cheshire sign the petition, it would show the Trustees that this vital service needs to keep running.

The future of Citizens Advice in Suffolk is under threat because Suffolk County Council is proposing to halve and then completely withdraw its funding to the charities. The Citizens Advice network helped 22,000 people in Suffolk with more than 75,000 issues last year. The volunteer advisers provide quality assured advice on a wide range of issues such as debt, disability benefits, housing, employment and relationships. Cuts would lead to a significantly reduced service for people in Suffolk. The number of staff and volunteers available to give advice would have to be drastically reduced. If you have a story to tell about how we have helped you or your family then please share it in the reason for signing.

Many of my clients have suffered at the hands of the Department of Worry and Persecution. Let's make them pay for their cruel treatment of those with both physical and mental health difficulties. People have commited suicide when their benfits have been stopped or cut and have to go through a long process to get redress. It is not fair and is not part of a society and government who should be looking after those in need, not harrasing them.

Because Universal Credit is driving up demand for foodbanks ---- This petition is being run by a Member of Parliament - 38 Degrees is independent of all political parties.

Tony has Downs syndrome and is partially sighted with no sense of direction. Our mother Margaret passed away recently. He has lived in the house all his life, and he has the support of the local community to keep him safe. Our Mother was his carer; I am now going to fill the large hole left by her passing and take care of him. I have offered to give up my tenancy in the same borough to move in and provide care for my brother. Due to the house having three bedrooms (Not large) one of which is used as his dependency room. We are being told that we can not stay at the property as it would be under-occupied by one room. The upheaval and loss would be detrimental to his health and well being.

It seems that while businesses need to licence to place chairs and tables on public footpaths, advertising boards are not regulated at all. They pose a serious problem for blind and partially sighted people in particular but also inconvenience other pedestrians. I have become aware of this more as I am starting to lose my eyesight through macular degeneration. It's important that town centres remain safe for all people.

Essex County Council have announced plans to close 25 libraries and to turn a further 19 over to be run by local communities to save money. My local library, in West Mersea, employs 2 people for 21 hours a week. Not only will they lose their jobs if these closures go ahead, but so will all the staff at the threatened 44 libraries. My library is thriving. It is always busy with people of all ages reading newspapers and periodicals, borrowing books, DVDs and CDs, accessing the internet, researching their family ancestry and speaking to others. Libraries are fantastic assets to the community and need to be saved. No libraries in Essex should be closed or downgraded to being run by volunteers The elderly population of Essex need these libraries. Many do not have computers and some of them may not speak to anyone else in their day. We need local libraries in local communities which can be accessed on foot or bike, by all sections of society. Please think again before implementing these closures.

Cole Thomson is only 6 years old and has uncontrolled focal epilepsy of which he has now become drug resistant. He has tried 16 different types of medication and had his first brain surgery when he was only 2 years old. To date nothing has been able to stop his seizures. Unfortunately there has been a steady decline in his health since May this year. Coles speech, vision, movement and memory are all continuing to deplete and he has also developed Todd Paralysis, which is extremely distressing for his 9 year old brother Dylan when he takes an attack as well as his parents, grandparents, other family members and especially 6 year old Cole himself. Currently the next step in Scotland is invasive testing, which for Cole would potentially be in the first quarter of 2019. He has a 1 in 100 chance of not surviving the operation, to see if he is a suitable candidate for further exploratory brain surgery. We are looking for your help to enable a step in between which could negate the need for surgery by allowing him legal access to cannabis based medicine. After speaking to Coles mum we became increasingly concerned at the amount of unlicensed, untested products being offered to her on the black market to apparently “help Cole”. Coles parents are unwilling to take the risk with any of these products. This does not take away from the fact that they’ve been offered unlicensed products by numerous different sellers and shows that currently there is a market feeding off of the fears of vulnerable families, who are desperately looking for answers to improve their children’s quality of life or indeed save it. We are looking to support the family by putting a campaign forward to you The Scottish Government to enable Cole to gain legal access to prescription cannabis based medicine. This would be the step before invasive surgery which would give him the opportunity to try a more natural drug which has a very high success rate for children like Cole all over the world. Please support our campaign to Save Cole Thomson by allowing him to get prescription cannabis based medicine.

The lack of provision of social care in the UK is leading to immense distress for all people affected by dementia. According to the Office of National Statistics, people with dementia are dying prematurely as a result of austerity. Carers are not supported and are overwhelmed by the burden of unpaid care. 'Local authorities... which perform vital roles in providing a real social safety net have been gutted by a series of government policies... The Government has remained determinedly in a state of denial' (From the report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights in the UK)

It's important because people are being forced into universal credit disabled made fit to work and cant work people looseing their homes under universal credit people are committing suicide under universal credit children are going to school with empty stomachs under universal credit people are suffering please I am asking and the people are asking the European court to take action on the un profesor philip Alstons damming report against the conservatives our human rights are being breached and abused please we beg you to scrap universal credit now