APPLYING for ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE via Age UK

you, or rather the applicant, does not have to use it for anyone to attend him.
he can use it for anything he wants. it is not time limited.
sometimes they ask you to re-apply.
you have to inform them if he goes in hospital or other away from home time.
it's best to get help in filling in the form, from those who know the jargon and the pitfalls.
many more people are entitled to it than claim it.
good luck.

@FindingNemo15. Hi. I have a background in pensions and benefits and started a thread on various disability benefits. If you click on Forums you will see a list of topics, one of which is ‘Pensions and Benefits. Just click on that and it will take you to the thread where there is info on various things. To make things easier for you I have copied and pasted my original post on applying for Attendance Allowance below. If you have any questions or need any help, send me a personal message and I’ll help however I can. To answer the questions in your post, yes your neighbours’ DH will be the claimant, but it can be paid directly to your neighbour if it’s easier - the application form asks claimants to include the details of the bank account they wish to use, so that’s the place to specify this. Invoices are not relevant, but medical evidence is, so anything that supports the details of the health condition should be submitted with the application form - don’t send originals though, as you won’t get them back. Photocopies are acceptable. AA is not granted for a specific length of time - it depends on the condition and it can be payable for as little as 1-2 years to a life award if the condition is permanent and unlikely to change.

Firstly remember that with AA, the person needs to have reached state pension age to claim it - working age people claim PIP. The ‘need’ for attendance also has to have been present for at least six months before making the claim. AA is assessed on the ‘need’ for attendance, not actually being in receipt of it. It basically does the same job as the PIP /DLA daily living rates in providing financial support for extra disability related costs - although PIP is for working age people (16-66) and DLA is now only paid to those under 16, and the assessment criteria are different to AA.

Unlike PIP/DLA there is no mobility component to AA. It’s also important to point out that unlike DLA/PIP, AA pays the different rates of benefit according to whether you need help during the day OR night, or during the day AND night. Consideration is given to how much help is needed and the frequency.

When completing the forms for AA consideration needs to be given to how the person is on their worst days. There are no trick questions - they are designed to try to get a full picture of how the condition affects the applicant, whether it fluctuates and for what proportion of the day or night help/supervision is needed. I can’t stress enough the need to check and recheck the form to make sure there are no contradictions and that the information is clear - always a good idea to do a dummy run before completing the actual form.

Consider the length of time it takes to complete each of the activities asked about on the form and whether/how much pain is experienced. Consider whether painkillers are required before, during or after the activity and whether the person needs to rest during or after the activity. Be specific about what help is needed, why and for how long - whether it’s for the entire activity or just part of it, and whether the help is needed by day, night or both.

You also need to consider things like safety - if no actual physical help is needed, but the person needs supervision to stay safe, this also counts. For example if someone has dementia and cannot be left alone, the supervision needs are 24/7, so the higher rate will usually be payable if the decision maker agrees. But you have to make your case. For someone with a physical disability, safety considerations will also be taken into account so it’s important to be clear about any supervision required, the reason it’s necessary and the frequency and duration.

As an example take washing, bathing and dressing. Someone with a physical disability may take much longer to complete these tasks than someone without that condition - limited mobility may necessitate help in and out of the bath/shower, getting dressed etc. The person may need to stop to rest during or after the activity or may not be able to do it at all until painkillers have taken effect. The person may not need actual help, but still need someone to be present in case of accidents or difficulty. This is supervision on safety grounds and it counts, but the reason it’s necessary needs to be clear - the person may be drowsy because of painkillers or unsteady on their feet, which can be dangerous in a bathroom setting. Again, say why it’s needed, how often and for how long each time.

For applicants with the various types of dementia or cognitive disorders, as the condition advances additional support may be needed with day to day living. Consider things from a different perspective - the person may not require hands on help with bathing, but may no longer recognise the need to bathe regularly, so encouragement may be needed to motivate them. A person with dementia may be able to dress themselves but can they choose appropriate clothing for things like the weather or different activities ? Can they tell when they need to change clothing for cleanliness, or change for bed ? They may be able to prepare food, but do they recognise that they are hungry in order to motivate them to do so, or do they need prompting and reminding ? Can they manage medication and what would be the consequences of forgetting to take tablets or taking too many ? Do medications such as painkillers need to be taken at night ?

Continence issues affect a wide range of disabilities and it’s one of the areas where people under report because of embarrassment and end up with a lower award. It’s important to be clear on the extent of the problem/help needed and be honest about the severity and frequency of the incontinence. This can range from whether the person has simple, occasional or regular incontinence requiring some help to manage, or has little or no voluntary control and requires frequent help with changing/bathing after accidents or using padding. Also be clear about whether this happens by day, night or both, and whether help is needed to change bedding. Does someone need to be available by day or need to be awake at night to help the person stay safe or to help with/supervise visits to the toilet?

AA does not consider things like the ability to do housework and does not address mobility issues. Once AA is in payment, the Pension Income Guarantee (Pension Credit) rate increases in line with the rate of AA paid, so even if the person didn’t qualify for pension credit before receiving AA, they may do so once they are in receipt of it - the DWP Pensions Service usually check eligibility when they’re alerted to a new AA, but I would advise checking eligibility yourself just to make sure things have been linked.

In cases of terminal illness, AA can be fast tracked. The eligibility at present is that the applicant has to be in the last six months of life expectancy, however that’s under review and set to increase to twelve months. The process can be speeded up with a DS1500 form from a consultant or GP.

Once AA has been awarded, carers allowance can be paid to someone over the age of 16, who looks after the disabled person for 35 hours per week or more. The carers allowance is taxable, but cannot be paid to someone who earns more than £128 per week (occupational pensions are not counted as income) or is on any other income replacement benefit which pays more than the rate of carers allowance - PIP, DLA and AA are not income replacement benefits so are disregarded, but things like state pension, UC and ESA are. However, if your state pension or other income replacement benefit is is less than carers allowance (currently £67.60 per week), you can get a top up for the difference. For example, if your state pension/other benefit is £50 per week you can get £17.60 per week in carers allowance

If your state pension or other income replacement benefit is more than carers allowance it might still be worth making a claim, as you can still get an 'underlying entitlement' - in other words you meet the conditions for carers allowance but it can’t be paid because it ‘overlaps’ with other benefits. If this is the case for you, it can actually increase any means-tested benefits you are currently getting, or it could mean that you become entitled to means-tested benefits for the first time (depending on your and any partner's income and capital). This is because having the 'underlying entitlement' means that an amount called the ‘carer addition’ will be included when working out whether you are entitled to other means-tested benefits. Hope that’s clear.

I found attendance allowance quite tricky but Carers Allowance was really easy and came through very quickly.

Would she be entitled to that? You can have both.

I got the carers allowance before the AA came through but it was a few years ago now.

Do you have to get the AA first now, PammieL?

After many years on a forum for carers for people with dementia, I picked up two main points:

1. State how things are on the worst day or night. Don’t gloss over anything.

2. Age Concern are apparently very good at helping you fill the forms in, in order to tick the right boxes.

have to be earning less than 128 pounds a week, and not in receipt of state pension, plus doing 35 hours care, to be able to receive carer's allowance, for someone who receives attendance allowance.
see excellent advice by Pammiel1 above.

Peasblossom

I found attendance allowance quite tricky but Carers Allowance was really easy and came through very quickly.

Would she be entitled to that? You can have both.

If they are claiming state pension, UC or ESA these are considered income replacement benefits and they would not be eligible for carers allowance unless the rate of benefit was less than carers allowance - in that case they would receive a top up to the amount of carers allowance.

Peasblossom

I got the carers allowance before the AA came through but it was a few years ago now.

Do you have to get the AA first now, PammieL?

Yes. Sorry - I’ll clarify a bit. The disabled person has to be in receipt of either standard or higher rate AA. Carers’ allowance is paid to the carer, and depends on their personal circumstances. The carer must look after you for at least 35 hours a week and they cannot claim carers allowance if they earn more than £128 a week (private pensions do not count as earnings so are disregarded, but they should still be declared on the application form). If the carer claims Universal Credit, State Pension or ESA these are considered income replacement benefits and carers allowance is not paid unless the amount of other benefits received are less than carers allowance - in this case the amount would be topped up to carers allowance amount. Hope that’s clear.

When my carer brother applied for attendance allowance for my late elder brother around a couple of years ago the forms got filled in over the phone. The lady filled in the answers on her form then posted the form to carer brother to sign and send back.

The DWP won’t complete an application by phone, but I’ve come across various benefit adviser agencies, including citizens advice, who will do so, depending on your circumstances. You can get an application form from DWP by telephoning 0800 731 0122. You can also download and print a form from the Gov.UK website. However, if you download the form you will only be awarded benefit from the date the DWP receive it. If you phone them for a form they will log the details and benefit will be backdated to the date you requested the form, provided you return the form to DWP by the date shown on the covering letter.

Thanks everyone for all your help and thanks Pammie1 I will also check out the forum you mentioned.

Once they are accepted for the AA could they use and pay say a neighbour to help with DH or must it be via an organisation, hence my question regarding an invoice.

Oh right I see. I hadn’t reached pension age then ?

FindingNemo15

Thanks everyone for all your help and thanks Pammie1 I will also check out the forum you mentioned.

Once they are accepted for the AA could they use and pay say a neighbour to help with DH or must it be via an organisation, hence my question regarding an invoice.

If they claim AA successfully they can use it however they like - it’s an extra costs benefit designed to help with the added expense of living with a disability. Invoices and proof of how you spend it are not necessary. If your neighbours’ DH requires a carer there are a couple of ways to go - as has been mentioned in previous posts, if someone cares for him for at least 35 hours a week they could claim carers allowance providing they are not disqualified by the cap on earnings or income replacement benefits, as detailed in the above posts. If you applied to the local authority for care services, they would likely take the AA into account when assessing you financially to determine how much you would need to pay towards this.

FindingNemo15

Thanks everyone for all your help and thanks Pammie1 I will also check out the forum you mentioned.

Once they are accepted for the AA could they use and pay say a neighbour to help with DH or must it be via an organisation, hence my question regarding an invoice.

No-one cares what they spend it on! It can be someone to clean, garden or to buy ready meals. It isn't checked on.

Best to ask AgeUk to help.

Thanks everyone again for all your support. I will pass on the information and help her as much as I can.

OP, once the AA has been granted, there is no need or mechanism to account for how it is used.
he can save it all, or buy chocolates, or spend it on the horses, or pay someone to help, or buy necessary items re disability.
it's not very much anyway, so it wouldn't cover much paid care.
get help with the forms.
good luck.

Agree with kittylester. Best to phone Age UK. That's who my brother contacted. Really helpful and can arrange the forms to be filled out over the phone.

welbeck

OP, once the AA has been granted, there is no need or mechanism to account for how it is used.
he can save it all, or buy chocolates, or spend it on the horses, or pay someone to help, or buy necessary items re disability.
it's not very much anyway, so it wouldn't cover much paid care.
get help with the forms.
good luck.

Higher rate is £360 every 4 weeks, so if he qualified it could possibly pay for his partner to have a cleaner for a few hours a week to take the pressure off her and allow her more time to care for him.

Hello my Dad has just been diagnosed with incurable cancer and as he’s struggling with money So I have requested a AA form in post. My mum is on pension credits which is £121 a week. Can she apply for carers allowance or will that affect her pension credits?

Macmillan nurses are very good at applying for AA for patients with terminal cancer. Sorry to say - as it's already been mentioned - that if your mum is a pensioner, she cannot get Carers Allowance as it is an earnings replacement benefit, as is the retirement pension.

How to apply? Even I have hearing issues i have to regularly visit ear cleaning manchester

Reported the above spam. I doubt if it will be removed though