What the media says about me...

"Paul Flynn and Gordon Prentice have become this Parliament’s saltiest select committee interrogators. They have been consistent value for money, pulling apart a succession of crooks, con men and blue-sky pseuds."

Quentin Letts, Daily Mail, May 2008

MP Welcomes £255 Million Boost for Carers

Tags: care system | Press Release

Wednesday, 11 June 2008 00:00

Pendle MP, Gordon Prentice, has welcomed the wide-ranging support for carers announced today by Health Minister Alan Johnson. Speaking from Westminster the MP commented: “There are some 6 million carers in the UK and it is no exaggeration to say they are Britain's unsung heroes as they save the country some £87 billion a year. The MP added: “Carers Week this year is highlighting the reality that ‘carers can't afford to be ill’. Over a quarter of carers say they frequently feel unable to cope with the day-to-day duties due to physical and emotional stress. And over 70 percent have been unable to take a week’s break in the last year. So the extra financial support for carers breaks and the piloting of health checks for carers announced in the National Carers Strategy will have a positive impact. “Along with other MPs, though, I am calling on the government to extend Carers Allowance to lower paid working carers earning more than the current threshold of £95 per week. After all, Carers’ Allowance is £50.55 for a minimum of 35 hours, equivalent to £1.34 an hour. The decision to care should not mean a commitment to future poverty."