End Social Care Disgrace
Campaign for a National Care, Support and Independent Living Service
A RESPONSE FROM END SOCIAL CARE DISGRACE CAMPAIGN TO ANDY BURNHAM’S LATEST ANNOUNCEMENTS ON SOCIAL CARE
Looking on the bright side it is encouraging to have a Prime Minister who wants to dig social care out of the mud in which it has been sinking for three decades, surrounded by the flotsam of twenty two, long lost reports and reviews. On 29th July he promised to bring forward the date for the Casey Commission to set out proposals for a National Care Service from mid ‘28 to mid ’27 and to look at how to go beyond the agreed Fair Pay Agreement to uplift the care workforce and integrate it more with the NHS workforce. He also made clear his intention to start cross party talks immediately to try to reach a consensus and stop political infighting blocking progress… Read full article here
TWO VIDEOS FROM JO WALTON ON THE REALITIES OF BEING A CARER
The Reality of Caring – Part 1 | Jo Walton’s Personal Caring Story
In Part 1 of The Reality of Caring, Jo Walton, Chair of the ESCaD Carers Group, shares her own deeply personal journey as an unpaid carer. Drawing on her own experiences, Jo speaks honestly about the realities of caring, the challenges carers face every day, and the emotional impact of supporting a loved one. Her story offers a powerful insight into a role that millions of people undertake, often without recognition.
The Reality of Caring – Part 2 | Jo Walton on Unpaid Carers & Carer’s Allowance
In Part 2 of The Reality of Caring, Jo Walton, Chair of the ESCaD Carers Group, explores the vital role of unpaid carers and asks whether society truly recognises the value of the care they provide. Jo discusses the purpose of Carer’s Allowance, the financial realities many carers face, and introduces an interesting comparison with the concept of a stipend, a payment traditionally given to members of the clergy in recognition of their service rather than as a conventional wage. This isn’t about comparing the two roles directly. Instead, it’s about asking an important question: Should caring be recognised as a service to society that deserves greater value and respect?
HIDDEN VOICES: 2 Older People
Hidden Voices 2 aimed to shine a spotlight on older people,many of whose voices are hidden, crushed or brushed aside.
See video here or click image below
Our speakers were: Neil Duncan Jordan, Labour MP for Poole, member of the APPG for Older People and ex Unison regional officer, Alisoun Milne, Emeritus Professor in Social Gerontology and Social Work at Kent University on ‘the neo-liberal market and harms to older people’, Marianne Lynch on the struggle to get care and support for her father, Gordon Peters, ex-director of Social Care on self- organising around mild cognitive impairment, Councillor David Jenkins, chair of the Leeds Age Friendly Board on building age friendly communities
Written report of meeting – read/download here
ESCAD on the march against the far right in London 28 March 2026
HIDDEN VOICES: 1 PUBLIC ZOOM MEETING
This successful and moving public meeting on 26 February 2026 aimed to shine a spotlight on the large number of disabled people who find it hard or impossible to speak up for themselves for various reasons. Speakers were:
Professor Sara Ryan: Researcher and activist in learning disability, autism, experiences of exclusion
Anna Rose: Campaigner with ESCaD, ‘INQUEST’ etc. whose son died through lack of oversight in residential care
Sean Dempsey:Award winning Learning Disability Champion, advocate and trainer based on his own experience
Paul Ridley:Campaigner, proud parent and full time carer, 2025 All4 Inclusion Carer of the Year Award
Click here to see video of meeting or click image below
URGENT: ACT NOW TO INFORM YOUR MPS ON URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS SOCIAL CARE
We’re calling on all ESCAD supporters and others to download our new briefing letter for MPs to inform them about the pressing need to address issues of social care.
Social care is a near universal service affecting 80% of the population at some stage of their life.
It is a disgrace that half of those requesting support get no help. Around 10,000 people are stuck in hospital for want of support in the community.
An estimated 10 million largely family carers struggle with little or no support.
Care workers’ wages are rock bottom and turnover twice the national average.
Workers from abroad are being driven out by exploitation punitive measures against migrants.
Do you want some of our postcards to give out?
Just e mail endsocialcaredisgrace@gmail.com or text/phone 07419 295754 and we will send some free of charge.
Do you want to buy one of our T-shirts?
PLEASE MAKE A DONATION
The End Social Care Disgrace campaign is a non party political alliance calling for radical change to social care. We want to get the market out of social care and make support free at the point of use. Disabled and older people, families and communities must shape what is needed to ensure everyone is enabled to have choice, dignity, and control over their lives. We must end discrimination and dismantle barriers to access. We also want care and support work and the contribution made by informal carers properly valued and supported.
We are calling for a National Care, Support and Independent Living Service which will be:
- Publicly funded, free at the point of use
- Publicly provided, not for profit
- Nationally mandated but designed and delivered locally
- Co-Produced with service users and democratically accountable
- Underpinned by staff whose pay and conditions reflect true value and skills
- Designed to meet needs of informal carers
- Informed by a task force on independent living led by user controlled groups from diverse backgrounds