World’s first Twobby set to redefine mass lobbying

World's first Twobby set to redefine Parliamentary mass lobbying

Campaigners join 60 national charities to press for funding and reform of social care.

A coalition of 60 charities is redefining   parliamentary mass lobbying with the launch of the world's first #twobby.

The Care and Support Alliance, a coalition of 60 organisations representing disabled, older people and their families, has launched the first ever online interactive lobby, to support a traditional mass rally of parliament which will take place on March 6.  The twobby and lobby will apply parliamentary pressure, as campaigners tell their  MPs  that the care system is in crisis, and that families across England urgently need funding and reform to help care for loved ones.  http://carelobby2012.org.uk/twobby/

Simon Gillespie, Chair of the Care and Support Alliance and CEO of the MS Society said, ‘The twobby will have a major impact, not just in securing support for social care reform, but redefine the future power  of parliamentary lobbying by providing real time involvement and interaction with Members of Parliament.  Most importantly for the Care and Support Alliance, the twobby will enable people who are housebound or disabled to enter into dialogue with their  MP and to directly influence the formation of a Government policy that will affect us all.'

The #twobby will be hosted on twitter where lobbyists can pose questions to their MPs on  @carelobby2012.  Live updates will be posted, together with responses from MPs Ministers, Shadow Ministers, campaigners and video vox pops.

Social care is currently on the brink of collapse. It cannot cope with a rapidly ageing population and positive impact of people living longer with illness and disability.

Those who use the social care system can no longer tolerate a social care system which leaves many with no support and others with poor quality services. The public are angry that they can face huge care charges and end up losing all their savings or being forced to sell their home.

The Government is due to announce its plans to reform social care later in the Spring in 2012. MPs and ministers need to act now to reform the social care system, ensuring a fair and sustainable care system which delivers dignity, independence and peace of mind for older and disabled people and their families. Failure to act will lead to more of the cuts, neglect and abuse in social care, at great cost to our economy, public services and society.

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Notes to Editors

The mass lobby is organised by The Care & Support Alliance, a consortium of over 60 organisations that represent and support older people, disabled people and people with long-term health conditions and their families. We are working together to promote urgent reform to tackle the crisis in our care system. http://careandsupportalliance.org/

Action for Advocacy, Action on Hearing Loss, Afiya Trust, Age UK, Alzheimer's Society, Anchor, Carers UK, Centre for Policy on Ageing, CLIC Sargent, Contact a Family, Counsel and Care, Crossroads Care, Disability Alliance, ECCA, EDCM, Grandparents Plus, Guide Dogs, Help the Hospices, Huntington's Disease Association, Independent Age, Learning Disability Coalition, Leonard Cheshire Disability, Macmillan Cancer Care, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Mencap, MND Association, MS Society, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, National Autistic Society, National Care Forum, National Centre for Independent Living, National Family Carers Network, National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, National Voices, Parkinson's UK, Princess Royal Trust for Carers, RADAR, Relatives and Residents Association, Resolution Foundation, Rethink, RNIB, Scope, Sense, Shaping Our Lives, Shared Lives Plus, Stroke Association, Sue Ryder Care, Terrence Higgins Trust, Turning Point, United Response, Vitalise, VoiceAbility, WRVS

We believe:

1. The social care system is broken. It cannot cope with a rapidly ageing population and people living longer with illness and disability. Urgent reform and additional funding are essential.
2. There is a huge public appetite for reform. Families will no longer tolerate a social care system which leaves many paying huge amounts for often inadequate support.
3. Extra funding is needed for our chronically undefunded care system. Yet social care budgets fell by £1billion last year.
4. The Dilnot recommendations are a practical and fair way forward on reducing the catastrophic costs faced by some families. They more fairly share the costs of care between individuals and the state.
5. It's time to act. Reform now could build a fair and sustainable care system which delivers dignity, independence and peace of mind for older and disabled people and their families. Failure to act would continue a cycle of cuts, neglect and abuse in social care, at great cost to our economy, public services and society.

Media contact: Hilary Carter, Age UK Press Office
Email: hilary.carter@ageuk.org.uk
Tel: 020 3 033 1689
Mobile: 07071 243243