South West Wiltshire Liberal Democrats

Vodafone 4G is now live in Trowbridge.

In total, Vodafone say they have invested more than £2 billion in their network and services since 2014 and expect to spend another £2 billion over the next three years. In a sign of its confidence in the strength of its network, Vodafone recently introduced a Network Satisfaction Guarantee giving new and upgrading customers a 30 day trial to experience for themselves the quality of the network before they fully commit.

The Liberal Democrats have condemned Theresa May's proposed "dementia tax," as official figures have revealed the number of people diagnosed with dementia reached a record high last month.

NHS statistics show that in April 2017, the number of patients recorded by GPs as having dementia was 442,000, more than double the 220,000 cases recorded 10 years ago.

People with dementia often need care in their own homes for many years, meaning they would be hit with crippling costs to pay for their own care under Conservative proposals.

Over 134,000 patients with dementia were below the age of 79, while 307,000 were 80 or older.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb commented:

"These figures reveal the impact Theresa May's dementia tax will have on thousands of vulnerable people across the country.

"Frail and elderly people receiving care in their own home will now face a 'Personal Death Tax' charged against their home. And the more help you need, the more Theresa May will snatch away when you die.

""It is a betrayal of those who work hard all their lives, end up with a condition like dementia through no fault of their own and will now be hit with crippling costs to pay for their care.

"The Liberal Democrats will stand up to Theresa May's cold, mean-spirited Britain, and fight for a cap on social care costs to protect people in their old age."



Notes:

NHS digital figures on dementia diagnoses published today can be found here

Under Conservative proposals, for the first time, many people who receive care at home will have their home taken into account, to meet the costs when they die. This will apply to the almost half a million people who receive domiciliary care in the UK. Figures on the share of the average family home expected to be spent on social care costs by area can be found here, based on calculations provided by Royal London.

The Liberal Democrats in coalition secured a commitment to introduce a cap on care costs from 2016. However this was first delayed by the Conservative government and has now been scrapped. The Liberal Democrats have committed in their manifesto to implementing the recommendations of the Dilnot Commission, which would mean a cap on care costs of £72,000

The Refugee Council, Refugee Action and Scottish Refugee Council, are asking parliamentary candidates to sign the Refugees Welcome Pledge, which emphasises the importance of ensuring Britain continues to protect people fleeing conflict and horrific human rights abuses, as this country has done throughout history.

A message from The Prescription Charges Coalition, which is led by Parkinson's UK, Crohn's and Colitis UK, and National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society:

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Aside from the prescription charge exemptions relating to age, pregnancy, income and other factors, there are exemptions for people who hold a valid medical exemption certificate. The list of conditions for which medical exemption certificates are issued has barely changed since 1968, and does not include most long-term conditions that are prevalent today.

Responding to Labour's announcement on NHS funding today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said:

"You cannot solve the crisis in our NHS and social care services by simply imposing more top-down targets on staff and plucking numbers out of thin air.

"The Liberal Democrats are the only party with a fully costed plan to deliver £6bn more per year for the NHS and social care by putting a penny on income tax.

"This is a plan endorsed by senior health experts including the former head of NHS England David Nicholson.

"We will be honest with the public that giving the NHS and social care the funding they need will mean us all chipping in a little more."


A group of 26 leading health experts including the former chief executive of the NHS David Nicholson, the ex-head of the Royal College of Nursing Peter Carter and the former chair of the Royal College of GPs Clare Gerada all backed Liberal Democrat plans on the NHS a letter to the Observer today (link).

Lib Dems: We need "Careers for Heroes"

If you've just turned 18, welcome to the electorate.

Thanks to 'My Society' for producing a simple guide on what to do next:

PART 1: How elections work

PART 2: Deciding who to vote for

PART 3: The voting process

SUMMARY: Election checklist

The Liberal Democrats have announced plans to address the housing shortage and build more affordable homes.

There are currently about 2,000 families in Wiltshire on the waiting list for council homes. 2016 figure was 1853 families, an increase from 1325 in 2015.

The Liberal Democrats would introduce a legal requirement for smaller housing developments to include affordable homes, make it easier for local authorities and housing associations to borrow money and set up a new government-backed Housing and Infrastructure Development Bank.

The party would allow local authorities to hike up council tax on empty homes by up to 200%. Local authorities could also choose to impose penalties on developers who leave plots of land empty for over 3 years, to tackle so-called land-banking.

Trevor Carbin commented: "Hundreds of families in Wiltshire are struggling to find a decent and affordable home. Many young people in particular are finding it virtually impossible to get somewhere to live. At the same time, homes are sitting empty and plots of land bought by developers are not being used. The market is broken and has failed to deliver. That is why we are setting out radical plans to fix the housing crisis.

"A Conservative landslide would allow the government to take people for granted, meaning years more soaring rents and failure to build enough affordable housing.

"A better future is available. Have hope, vote Liberal Democrat and we can change Britain's future and build the affordable homes our county needs."

The details: to address the huge shortage of housing in the UK, the Liberal Democrats have committed to