This is a series of consultations on the green paper ‘Shaping the Future of Care Together’ which sets out a vision for care services for all adults in England.   They have developed a very simple questionnaire which you can access on this link:

The ninth annual Carers Rights Day, a national awareness day organised by Carers UK, will be held on 4th December 2009.

The focus of this year’s Carers Rights Day is on Caring for your income and pension. Groups around the country will be holding events to make sure that carers are getting the support and benefits they deserve and protecting their pensions for the future.There are nearly 6 million carers in the UK and 2.3 million people become carers every year. Almost three quarters of carers suffer financially as a result of caring. Many carers simply do not realise that they are entitled to any help.

Others miss out because they struggle to understand complex and badly explained benefits forms and information, and many simply do not have time to sit down and sort out think about their pensions.

It is vital that carers get the information, or get assessed, to claim the benefits that are rightfully theirs because:

• Shockingly, millions of carers benefits are not claimed each year, while carers across the country cut back on essentials like food, clothes and heating, to make ends meet
• Carers may be missing out on a range of other discounts and benefits like Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit

Help make Carers Rights Day matter. Last year, the events held helped advise over 30,000 carers.

Claiming the Carer’s Allowance can help protect basic State Pension rights for carers under 65.

Carers UK have produced a booklet: Looking After Someone? – A guide to carers’ rights and benefits which provides specialist advice to carers.

Carers can order free copies from Carers UK by calling 0845 241 9379, visiting www.carersuk.org, emailing carersrightsday@carersuk.org, or by writing to Carers UK at: 20 Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4LX

Further information on issues affecting carers can be found at the Carers UK website

If you want to help shape the future of Southwark Carers please sign up.

Being a member, gives you the right to:

• vote at any general meeting held by Southwark Carers
• nominate members to stand for election
• be nominated to stand for election

If you are not a member but wish to enrol please click this link:

Individual application for membership of Southwark Carers

And return the completed form to us by Freepost or email it to info@southwarkcarers.org.uk

Notice is hereby given that the 2009 annual general meeting of the company will be held at Gilroy Hall, Cambridge House, 131 Camberwell Road, London, SE5 0HF on Friday 4th December 2009 at 11am for the following purposes.

• reports of the members of the Management Board
• report from the Auditor
• election of members to the Management Board
• appointment of Auditor for coming year
• fixing of payment to the Auditor for the service
• Consideration of any other business and special resolutions

By order of the board

Dated 1st October 2009

David Lebon

Chair

Southwark Carers

Cambridge House

131 Camberwell Road

London

SE5 0HF

A member entitled to attend and vote at the meeting is entitled to entitled to appoint a proxy to vote, and attend, instead of him. A proxy need not be a member of the company.