A campaigner who fought the UK Authorities over the prosecution of carers is establishing a union and on-line discussion board.
Leo Cleary plans to arrange the Nationwide Unpaid Carers Union and Discussion board.
Cleary, 42, who cares for his aged mother-in-law, began a petition in opposition to Authorities prosecutions of carers for exceeding the earnings restrict for Carer’s Allowance.
Large assist
The petition attracted 51,000 supporters on change.org. After that, the Authorities introduced plans to raise the earnings restrict on Carer’s Allowance by £45 per week to £196 from April.
The Authorities has additionally launched a evaluate of Carer’s Allowance overpayments.
The campaigner mentioned the discussion board would supply carers free recommendation and steerage and “be a shoulder to cry on, or simply an ear to pay attention”.
‘Subsequent ideological step’
Cleary, from Harlow, Essex, arrange the union after his June petition attracted 40,000 signatures in two days.
In addition to campaigning on-line, Cleary says he produced a number of leaflets and delivered them to greater than 2,000 houses.
In an electronic mail, he wrote that beginning the union was the “subsequent ideological step”. In line with Cleary, the union already has 75 members, and the quantity is rising each day.
Looking for recognition
The campaigner says he is able to work alongside different carers’ teams “to construct a community of assist and recommendation that blankets the entire of the UK”.
To arrange the union, Cleary should search recognition from the organisation he’s opposing – the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP). He has now written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to get recognition for the union.
In a press release, a spokesperson for the DWP mentioned it had launched a evaluate of overpayments so carers don’t face “difficulties sooner or later”.
Associated:
Printed: 19 December 2024