Thursday, May 12, 2011

Hardest Hit

Yesterday thousands of disabled people, their familes and carers marched to Westminster to protest about the proposed changes to disability and sickness benefits, which are likely to plunge many into poverty and a housebound existence. There was a distict lack of media interest in this already vulnerable and disenfranchised group, but you can read a Guardian report here and a BBC report here.

Today it is reported that research by Carers UK indicates that carers save the country £119bn a year, often at a huge cost to their own health and financial security.

It made me wonder what would happen if all we carers suddenly decided to show the same lack of respect for the sick and disabled as the government clearly does. I had hoped that David Cameron might show just a little compassion and empathy in this area after his own experience of parenting a profoundly disabled child. I was clearly wrong.

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