Social services and financial errors

Is she receiving Attendance Allowance. That is the standard disability benefit for people who are retired.and this money would be expected to cover any additional costs caused by her disability.

Social Services are usually uite uick in getting people on attendance allowance as they take someof it to help pay for the home visits she receives.

If she gets Attendance Allowances then she should apply for pension credit. If she already receives it, she should get an upgrade and extra money from there as well, but she will need to contact the benefits Agency. Age UK have a na Information line you can ring to get help and advice.

Thank you very much Monica.

Yes Attendance Allowance is received at the higher rate. On paper my friend looks quite well off but Advanced Tax plus normal tax has decimated her savings. I don’t think pension credit will apply.

I have asked a county councillor for advice plus am thinking about equity release for a modest amount if possible.

My parents pay for additional care, but their savings have to be below the threshold for free social care before they would get such care without paying for it. Their other expenses aren’t taken into account, the payment for social care is a straightforward equation related to their level of savings, which cannot exceed £23,250 this financial year. Is that the position your friend is in ronib?

These things can take ages to sort out- it took months to get my mum's payment settled properly.
16th March was only two weeks ago.

Other expenses a person might have such as gardening, cleaning, aren't taken into account. However, you need to contact her GP surgery and arrange for an assessment for incontinence products, as these are supplied free. Usually there is a specialist nurse and they will visit and supplies will then be delivered regularly according to the estimated need.

Casdon savings are around £11k having paid HMRC advanced tax.

kiberal0 incontinence pads are provided free of charge but Tena incontinence pants are not. When someone is in bed for from 7 pm until 10 am next morning, and can’t change their incontinence product, comfort is important.

She definitely should not be paying for home care if her savings are at that level ronib. Has she completed the declaration of savings form for her financial assessment by Social Services, that is normally done annually for my mum?

Casdon but her pension income per month is around £2,700 after tax. We live in England not Wales. We have not been asked to fill in the declaration of savings form to my knowledge.
A neighbour had been made the contact instead of myself as PoA which has caused me some problems.
Putting the problem through ChatGPT suggests that my friend should be entitled to a refund for an inaccurate financial assessment but ….. the last email suggested that bank statements were insufficient evidence.

My parents live in England too ronib. The declaration of savings is part of the financial assessment form. If no financial assessment has been done for your friend, I assume that was because she did not request one, and would be the next step.

Update I have discovered that Herts SS were found in breach of the Care Act 2014 by not allowing for cleaning services in assessments. I am still asking questions and not getting any answers.

Contact the finance dept, they should be taking into account DRE (Disability Related Expenditure)

A lot will depend on how she (or other) filled in her forms. Get some help to review the overly complex and designed to catch you out forms.

Also talk to her fuel and water suppliers, get her onto priority services and and reduced rates

We filled in the Herts Disability Related Expenses form, but the allowances are pathetic, about £2.50 a week for cleaning and the same for the £1000 every six months we pay for stairlift rental! We have had to pay for everything equipment-wise including a wetroom so he could have a shower and a ramp so he could get into the house on discharge from hospital!

If her income is £2700 after tax, how can she be entitled to pension credit? 😳

No definitely not pension credit crazyH. Her monthly bill for care leaves her with about £1k a month which is insufficient for her needs.

It certainly doesn’t cover the tax bill either…. Tax in advance is £4400 annually.

I’ve never heard of any extra payment on top of attendance allowance.
Tenna pads are supplied free, via incontinence clinic.

Disability related expenditure is payable under the Care Act 2014.
Tena super night pants are not supplied by the NHS. £98 for a pack of 8 x 10 pants from Amazon.

ronib

Disability related expenditure is payable under the Care Act 2014.
Tena super night pants are not supplied by the NHS. £98 for a pack of 8 x 10 pants from Amazon.

My dad had those for night time, fight to get them though as he also had a conveen catheter but would pull it off.
District nurse was brilliant

Ronib are we talking about pads that tie at the side, (my dad had those), or are you referring to pants that pull up?

Help the Aged have advisors who should be able to help your friend to sort out her finances. My brother in law had a problem when being discharged from hospital and they were very helpful.

Pull up pants seem to be the preferred product for some reason…. And the NHS won’t pay for them.

Help the Aged … thank you shall try.