disgrantled carer

you may remember i wrote a few weeks back i was applying  to get away for a few days sometime. i wrote a long letter  to  my  carers assessment social  worker (casw in future,its bit of mouthfull ) asking if it was possible to get any  help towards a break,financial  help that is.when i had my assessment  earlier in year,which  as  my early  entries  told i had  waited  for,for  4  months,the  casw promised  me several things.  mum  would get a voluntary visitor,    that  took  3  months.        yes C  comes  now,and i am grateful to her.             but  it took ages  to get  set  up.        i was promised  help to fill in forms,    i had  a letter  from the person concerned,he was busy  but would be in touch.  never  heard a word.   as  i  already  have said  i  had a spell of self denial  and  never did anything  about  it  until the other  week.       and  that  was   because of my  MS nurse  giving  me  different  organisation  to go to.       never  heard a word  from  other.        i was promised  help from carers  organisations,and  yes  i am now  registered, never  had  to use  them yet         but  they are there.         and      carers  grant.      casw told me  there is a grant carers can apply for every year,up to £200     for  help   with things  like  breaks,doing  hobbies  etc.       i  asked  for  help  towards a new  bed for  mum  as hers  was  broken,and  it was making my  job  hard  to make  it.        i  got £150           nowhere  near  enough  for a new  bed.   so  i  repaired  her  old one,and  we  bought  a  nice   thick  new  mattress  for her  with  the  money.     cost  £170              but  mum is  comfortable.         now  she        casw        told  me  this  grant  is paid  every  year ,  just  apply,say what  you  want  the money  for,runs  from april  to april.    so  thats what  i had asked  for  my  break.   carers  grant  to enable  me to get away  for  3  days.          hadnt  heard a word  until wednesday.

i had gone to doctors,got  home,mum said         social services  rang,  will ring you later  this  afternoon.        never  did.        next  morning  i went  up shop to get  papers,came  home        they  rang  again  said  mum               will ring  you  lunch time.        never  did. finally  she rang me friday.     a  new social worker  i have  never  met  before,  asked  me how  things  were,   and  when did i want  to  go away?  promising  i thought.      mid october  i  said.       ok  she  said,i can arrange  cover for your mum,extra carers  to get  her  food etc.          blah,blah.        no word about  money.       then  she said,oh  i am reading  your  letter,   you wish  to know  if there is any  financial  help.well  there  is  this charity  you could apply  to,i  will send  details,       ermmmm    just   sec.i  said          i  applied  for  carers grant,         oh  she  said,you have  to  get  in touch  with  work and  pensions          carers  allowance  is nothing  to do   with  norfolk county council      now.................   whoah,   i  cant  GET  carers  allowance,  the  benefit  i am on  i cant  get  it.        i applied   for  carers  GRANT.         i  explained  it all to  her.         and  she had never heard of  it.         said        maybe  it was a one off?   no        i was told  every  year.            maybe  it  was  a  social  grant,they  have to be  repaid  but....................NO,ITS A CARERS  GRANT.       long  and  short,  i  had  a  small bit  of  paper  come, with  this charitys address on  and phone  number   to  apply  to see if i can get any help from them,   she  will look into  carers  grant,but  couldnt  find  anything  on her  computer  about  it.         goodbye  mr  lake.       

i went  on the website  for carers.        and  i cant  find  anything  about  the grant  either.   still got  the slip  that came  with the cheque,and  sent  it  to the social  worker,but it does  look like        thanks  to cuts  in social security  funding,    carers  grant  has  gone.          along  with any  hope i had  of getting  away.        i havent  got  money to  waste  on taking a  holiday.    i only  applied  because  i thought  the  grant  was available.     working  on  what you  never  have  you  never miss,i  guess  i am not  really  too surprised.          but  i  am  just  one  carer.       there  are  thousands  in  the  country.           and  for  some,    that  grant,   to  be able  to  go away  for  a  little  break          is   a  lifeline.           i  shall apply  to  the charity,  but        i  am unpaid,  i  get  little  help,        surely  more  could  be   done  to  help  the  helpers?   we  save this  country  tens of thousands  of pounds,by providing  care  that  otherwise  would  have to  be funded for.             a  caring  society??         take care all.        many,many  thanks  for all the lovely  comments and emails  i got  over  the  MS  entry.    mort