Can you believe all that has happened in just one week. Politically, globally, and at home, especially the heartbreak of ten funerals in Co.Donegal after the tragedy of Creeslough. It’s no surprise that the people of the village and so much further afield have all come together to support each other. And even though the harsh spotlight moves on, the people won’t and all our thought and prayers will continue for a long time to come. Passing through Creeslough will never be the same again with many of us calling into the white walled church to take time to contemplate the sorrow that will forever touch this village.
Elsewhere Liz Truss and her rictus smile is now being replaced by Jeremy Hunt’s sanctimonious visage. It’s not a laughing matter boys, we are all scared of the future for ourselves and for our children and grandchildren. How on earth did it come to this.
Newspaper Report ……………..
Miriam Margolyes says ‘f*** you, bastard’ live on Radio 4’s Today programme over Jeremy Hunt
21:26 , Emily Atkinson
In case you missed it…
Miriam Margolyes broke the first rule of radio this morning (Saturday 15 October) as she said “f*** you” live on the Today programme.
The actor was reacting to seeing the new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, in the BBC Radio 4 studio, when she swore.
“When I saw him there,” she told the hosts Justin Webb and Martha Kearney, as she was finishing her interview, “I said, ‘You’ve got a hell of a job, best of luck.’ And what I really want to say was, ‘F*** you, bastard.’ But you cant say that.”
Forgot my reoccurring slot with Asda for this coming week and I’ve been to India, I think, and back and thanks to a most pleasant lady at the other end of the phone I am now back in business. Isn’t it strange how a little thing like that can seem like the end of the world when you’ve a headache and a streaming nose! Anyway, ever onward.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
I had the pleasure of chairing the recent Age Friendly Belfast Convention. The city hall was packed with men and women who fall into the ‘older person’ category, a vibrant lot, full of ideas and questions and there were plenty of Age Friendly organising staff and speakers to oblige.
Belfast Northern Ireland is an age-friendly city with organisations dedicated to making sure the quality of life is enhanced, for example specific maintenance of pavements, public toilets, outdoor seating and home heating. There are many groups of senior citizens working together in Forums to achieve these aims. And there’s Engage with Age, a charity formed in 2000 to work in partnership with a range of organisations throughout Greater Belfast to combat social isolation and loneliness amongst older people offering photography sessions, story telling, writing groups, computer classes for beginners, even Tai Chi! These groups and organisations lobby politicians, funders, councillors and service providers by putting the older peoples needs in front of these decision makers.
For instance, Rita Murray, chair of the Greater Belfast Seniors Forum as well as Chair of The West Belfast 50plus Forum, told me how she is liaising with Dr. Alan Stout, chairman of the GP committee of the BMA, on improving availability of face to face appointments in surgeries.
This is the seventh year of Positive Ageing Month and it’s a time packed with a festival of events and activities for older people. A museum day, walking tours in various parts of the towns, a minibus tour of the City Cemetery with Tom Hartley, healthy eating, fee hearing aid support, chocolate bingo and films and an online TV licensing scam awareness session. Only a few of the many events on offer throughout the year.
One of the speakers was Karen Ferris from the Department of Communities. She talked about Make The Call, a facility for anyone on benefits to check their situation.
This information is important to all of us living in Northern Ireland perhaps not for ourselves but maybe for someone in the family so please share.
Since 2005, £305.5 million in additional annual benefits have been sourced for 74,093 people across Northern Ireland but many more are loosing out. Karen explained that this is an advice line that helps to ensure individuals and families across Northern Ireland are receiving all the benefits, supports and services to which they and their families are entitled. Many people don’t realise there’s money due to them, others may feel guilty in taking something they think is a hand out. Karen immediately confirmed that this is not the case. She had very important information to pass on, worth keeping to refer too and to discuss with your family.
How It Works
“A telephone team will carry out a free and confidential assessment based on the customers circumstances to identify any potential entitlements. Should a customer need assistance to make a claim, a community outreach officer can carry out a home visit to provide face to face support and help complete application forms. There’s a full range of benefits available along with many supports and services which we can refer and signpost to customers.”
Some of the main subjects Karen discussed were the state pension, pension credit, housing benefit, winter fuel payment and health care costs. Qualifying age for people to claim state pension is at the moment 66.
Two Parts To Pension Credit:
“Guarantee credit for people who have reached the minimum State Pension age and over. It takes account of other income and savings you have when working out your entitlement. You may be able to get guarantee credit if the money you already have coming in is less than;
£182.60 a week for a single person and £278.70 a week for a couple.
Savings Credit is for people who have reached State Pension age by 6th April 2016. You may be rewarded for having certain types of income and savings.
“You may get both parts or either part on its own depending on your circumstances. If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit you may be entitled to housing benefit if you live in Housing Executive accommodation; all or part of your rent paid if you live in in privately rented accommodation; your rates may be paid if you own your own home.”
If you do not receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit you may still be entitled to some help with your housing costs in the form of rent rebate or rates rebate. Lone Pensioner Allowance is for people over 70 and living on their own, they can receive a 20% reduction in rates although some exceptions may apply.
Disabled Persons Allowance – a 25% reduction in rates for any household where a person with a disability lives and the property has been adapted or has additional facilities added.
Health Care
People of minimum State Pension age and over get free health service sight tests. Pensioners in receipt of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit will qualify for free health service dental treatment also free health service wigs and fabric supports, vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses and refunds of travel costs to and from hospital for health service treatment.
Other Benefits
People of minimum State Pension age may qualify for Attendance
Allowance if they are not already in receipt of Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living allowance. Attendance Allowance is not means tested and is paid to people with health conditions or care needs. There are two rates payable and the rate awarded depends on the care you need, not the care you are getting.
Karen adds: “An award of any of the disability payments may increase the amount of pension credit you receive. Carers Allowance is a benefit you can claim if you are looking after someone receiving the disability payments mentioned. Even if you do not receive Carers Allowance, claiming it may increase the Pension Credit you receive.”
This is complex but important and worth sharing.
Make The Call at 0800 232 1271. Age Friendly booklets about what’s on in Belfast phone Gillian at 07713684705.
www.makinglifebettertogether.com
