Autism Carers: Lee Scott MP Calls For Action, UK

Main Category: Autism
Article Date: 04 Jun 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Lee Scott MP for Ilford North who has been campaigning in the House of Commons for parents, carers, children and adults with Asperger's Syndrome is calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Government to increase the carer's allowance for possibly over a million carers who are looking after children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome in the United Kingdom.

There are 500,000 people with autism in the UK and over 100,000 children are on the autism spectrum. Recently Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote for the first time on autism when he contacted the UK Autism Foundation to share his Autism Plan. Support for UKAF's autism awareness campaign has also come from David Cameron who wrote to the foundation and said: 'As many as one in a hundred people could be affected by some form of autism, and it is important that we recognise and raise awareness of the difficulties and challenges that they can face.'

Ivan Corea of UKAF said: ' Many carers are plunging into poverty as a result of the credit crunch and the recession. Lee Scott MP is backing UKAF's call to parliamentarians of all parties in the House of Commons to support our campaign to raise the carer's allowance for carers who are working around the clock for children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Autism is a 24 hour job and we urge the Prime Minister to listen to the voices of parents and carers.'

The early day motion tabled by Lee Scott MP reads:

Autism And The Carer's Allowance

That this house pays tribute and acknowledges the valuable contribution made by thousands of parents and carers, in supporting the needs of children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome; supports the call of the UK Autism Foundation urging the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State at the Department of Work and Pensions to consider a substantial increase to the carer's allowance; shares the concern of the UK Autism Foundation that the present economic crisis is plunging some parents, carers and families with autism into poverty; backs the call of autism campaigners for Her Majesty's Government to increase the tax credits, the disabilities living allowance and the carer's allowance in order for parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome to survive the credit crunch and the deepening recession.

Lee Scott is Patron of the UK Autism Foundation. He is a member of the Select Committee on Health in the House of Commons in Westminster.

Source
UK Autism Foundation