When I'm Gone

Over 36,000 of you have signed our petition calling for families to receive more help to plan for the future of their loved ones care. On 4^th December, we took your signatures to 10 Downing Street to show how important this issue is to us and to the people we support.

Many disabled people are supported by their families. Family members play a key role in enabling and empowering them, becoming experts in their care. Few families have felt able to put plans in place for the future.

• 1.7 million disabled people are supported by their friends and families. 75% have no plan for the day that support is no longer available.
• 67% of carers have profound fears about what will happen to their relative when they are no longer able to provide care.
• One third of local authorities are unaware of how many disabled adults in their area are currently being cared for by family and friends at home.
• Only a quarter of councils routinely provide support to make contingency plans for future care.

What we're doing

Over the course of 2018, Sense will raise awareness of the issue locally and nationally to ensure that disabled people and their families get the support they need.

In February, we published our report, When I’m Gone. It explains the issue in detail, tells families’ personal stories and sets out our recommendations for change.

We have also produced a toolkit called Decisions to make, steps to take. It is aimed at disabled people and their families, to guide them through the process of making choices about the future.

For an overview of the report and campaign, download our press release in accessible word format.