Warden 'ticketed a carer helping epileptic with fit'

It emerged as two national charities launched a campaign to secure carers the same rights to free parking as disabled drivers, so that they can visit and run errands for their charges without risking parking fines.

Paulo Mato, chief executive of the Islington Carers Forum, said: " Everyone knows how difficult parking is in London, but trying to avoid fines while running around to help a disabled person can be unimaginably stressful.

"We had one case of a young woman looking after her severely disabled father for eight hours a day who was forced to pay £500 in fines in just a few months.

"She couldn't pay and the bailiffs were called in and we had to rally round as a charity to help her out - which was tough when we're so cash-strapped.

"On another occasion a carer who stopped to help someone having an epileptic fit was given a ticket."

The campaign has been launched by Carers UK and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers.

They point out that the capital's 600,000 registered carers save the Government £8.7 billion a year, but often survive on low incomes and benefits.

They want the disabled blue badge parking scheme extended to cover carers. At present a disabled person can apply for a free parking badge - which also exempts vehicles from the congestion charge.

The badges can only be used when the disabled person is in the vehicle.

Carers visiting their charges or running errands for them are not eligible to use the badges, and may be fined £1,000 if caught doing so.

A spokesman for Carers UK said: "We're calling for the scheme to be extended at a national level to cover carers doing tasks for disabled people. Carers are often forced to live on reduced incomes and these fines make their lives even more difficult. Extending the scheme so each disabled person could nominate a registered carer to also receive a badge is a relatively inexpensive step that could ease the distress of hundreds of thousands of people."

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers' acting chief executive Carole Cochrane added: "Allowing carers badges would improve their lives by easing their financial pressures. We need to recognise the role they play in communities."

A recent survey conducted by the Islington Carers' Forum revealed that 92 per cent of carers in the borough had received a penalty notice in the past year.

Paul Kirwan, manager of the Carers Network Westminster, said: "It's a serious and widespread issue in London that could so easily be tackled."

Although it is hoping for change to the badge system on a national level, Carers UK said individual boroughs had control over their parking schemes and could also offer concessions for carers in controlled parking zones.

An Islington Council spokesman said of the epileptic fit claim: "This is the first we've heard about this, and we'll be contacting Islington Carers Forum to try and find out more details, including where exactly this happened.

"Of course motorists should not get a ticket if they are trying to help in this way. The council recognises carers often have a difficult time, and although blue badges are a national issue we do offer some extra local help.

"For example, people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance can claim cut-price visitors' vouchers so it is easier for their carers to park nearby."