Advertisement
News

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington backs care campaign

English actor Harington, who plays Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, has backed a Mencap campaign to prevent people with learning disabilities from losing overnight carers

Game of Thrones hero Kit Harington has paused in his crusade to save the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros to yield his sword against government cuts.

The actor, who plays Jon ‘King in the North’ Snow in the HBO fantasy epic, has backed a campaign to stop people with learning disabilities from losing their carers.

New guidance on payments for “sleep-in” carers means charities that provide the service could be faced with a back-pay bill of £400m.

We need to act now

“Just having a carer stay overnight in their home makes a huge difference to someone with a serious learning disability,” said Harington, before warning many charities could go bankrupt if the changes were enforced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuwxSqk5R4E&feature=youtu.be

“This is a reality – the most vulnerable people in our society will be left without care. We need to act now.”

Advertisement
Advertisement

Mencap chief executive Jan Tregelles described the payments dispute as “the most critical issue that Mencap has faced in 70 years”.

Harington also talked about his cousin Laurent, who has Down’s syndrome and autism, and the care he received.

“The special relationship I have had with my cousin Laurent has given me a privileged understanding of learning disability and the critical role that organisations like Mencap play in providing the care that makes an independent life possible,” said the actor.

“It saddens me that there is still such a stigma attached to learning disability,” he added.

“I want to help shine a spotlight on the vital work that Mencap and other providers do. It makes such a difference to hundreds of thousands of ordinary families across the UK.”

For more on the #StopSleepInCrisis: www.mencap.org.uk/sleep-ins-petition

Advertisement

Become a Big Issue member

3.8 million people in the UK live in extreme poverty. Turn your anger into action - become a Big Issue member and give us the power to take poverty to zero.

Recommended for you

Read All
Cash-strapped council warns it's at breaking point as neighbour places homeless people in its town
homeless peoples' tents in street
Homelessness

Cash-strapped council warns it's at breaking point as neighbour places homeless people in its town

Disabled people losing jobs and 'falling out of work' due to months-long waits for DWP support
disabled person working
Disability rights

Disabled people losing jobs and 'falling out of work' due to months-long waits for DWP support

Homeless families occupy council housing offices on Halloween in plea to fix 'houses of horror'
Homeless families at a protest about council housing
Homelessness

Homeless families occupy council housing offices on Halloween in plea to fix 'houses of horror'

'Back to cost of living crisis': Households will be £770 worse off by next UK election, experts say
woman in supermarket
Cost of living crisis

'Back to cost of living crisis': Households will be £770 worse off by next UK election, experts say

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue