Attendance Allowances

Usernames. If your dh needs help at any time in the night, you are entitled to the higher rate of AA. Talk to AgeUk or CAB about appealing that bit.

Even if financially there seems no point in claiming Carers Allowance, it may be worth it as you will then have an underlying entitlement. This can mean additions to other benefits.

First thing to note is that you can't claim until you've needed help for six months.

I claimed on my husband's behalf as he needs full-time care during the day. He only needs occasional care at night with toileting or nightmares so he was awarded the lower rate. That is a huge help to us - he pays our cleaner which means I am free to take care of him (which both of us prefer to him paying an attendant and me doing the housework).

I filled in the form - it wanted full details of his medical condition, copies of his prescriptions, doctor's letters, hospital appointment letters etc. Also full details of how he is affected by his condition - several times in different sections of the form. I am well used to this type of form so was able to deal with it myself but if you are not good at this kind of thing, definitely as Age UK for help.

The form can be downloaded, completed on your computer and then uploaded with supporting paperwork, or you can request a paper form and send that back. I don't know which is quicker but my husband's claim went through in 8 weeks and I used the online version.

The money is awarded indefinitely and is not means tested.

Also, if you are a carer and are earning less than £128 you may be entitled to Carer's Allowance. This is only £60 p.w. but it's a help. I retire from my paid job at the end of June (I work from home in the mornings) and will be claiming as soon as my P45 arrives.

I did my own application for AA some four years ago. Just followed advice of answering ALL questions as truthfully as possible, BUT for how I am at worst times,

Did not find it difficult at all. Many pages did not need completing as I was applying totally on physical problems, not mental ones.

Did not consider 'what do they want/mean by that question'.

I was granted the High Level, and this money has made my everyday life so much easier and more comfortable as I have used the money to purchase different aids both in and out of my home. Just be truthful - no need to use any buzz terms, etc.

I filled in the form for my DH - all 27 pages of it. I downloaded it from the Government site and I went slowly and carefully . When I sent it off (by email) I included scans of medical reports for every specialist we've seen, copy of his updated prescription - everything. We got the lower rate which is OK as it's only now and then he needs me in the night.

The form is logical and there is a space where you can write stuff you couldn't find a particular reply box for.

I didn't find it difficult but as I say, I went slowly and methodically and read it over a couple of times before sending it off.

Mouseybrown60

I believe that cares allowance ceases once the recipient claims state pension.

That’s correct, because state pension is classed as an income replacement benefit. You can’t receive the full amount of both carers allowance and state pension, or any other income replacement benefit the same time. 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, you should be sent a letter confirming your 'underlying entitlement' to carers allowance and 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.

f77ms

I get PIP at the enhanced level for care only, apparently if you are over pension age then any mobility issues are considered as normal aging which of course is not true. I struggle mainly with mobility since my terminal cancer diagnosis. I would love to have a cleaner and occasional gardener but i just cant afford it. I had to pay over a thousand to have a stair lift and £40 a month on top. I wondered if AA would be more money but can't find the info and whether one can swap.

You are incorrect in saying that mobility issues are considered as normal ageing for PIP purposes. If you were in receipt of a PIP award which was due for renewal after you reached state pension age, your application for renewal would be considered on the same criteria as before - decision makers have no facility to end either the mobility or the daily living award on age grounds. If you renewed the claim after you reached state pension age, check your decision paperwork as that will tell you the reason for the withdrawal of the mobility component - it will be because they assessed you as no longer satisfying the eligibility conditions, and nothing to do with your age.

Are you sure you haven’t already been migrated onto AA ? I ask because if your PIP claim began BEFORE, and was due for renewal AFTER you reached state pension age, you have to respond to the DWP’s request to do so and complete the renewal paperwork within the allotted time frame - if you don’t, the claim lapses. If you allow it to lapse after you have reached state pension age, there is no facility to reapply for PIP and no right of appeal - you would then have to make a fresh claim for AA. In answer to your question, the rates of AA, PIP and DLA daily living component are all the same.

That's correct. You can still claim it but it is deducted from your pension payment.

I believe that cares allowance ceases once the recipient claims state pension.

MadeInYorkshire

Cabbie21

AA is usually easier to get than PIP, provided the form is filled in appropriately.
Statistically over 75% of PIP appeals will be successful at Tribunal. Interestingly this week a substantial award was made out of court by Capita, one of the companies who do PIP assessments, to the family of a woman who took her own life after DWP stopped her PIP. DWP have declared they will act more sensitively to claimants, and will ensure better training in mental health issues for assessors. Long overdue.

I doubt that will happen!

They are paid bonuses to get people OFF the benefit, and are trained to do it as well - health professionals, pfft - I would be qualified to do that job but my conscience wouldn't let me!

To be clear, no bonuses are paid for getting people off benefit -neither are they paid for reducing entitlement. The assessment process is far from perfect and IMO assessors are not properly equipped to assess some of the more complex disabilities, but they don’t decide the points awarded for each activity - that’s the job of the DWP decision maker, based on the assessment report.

Have a look at the green paper on further reform of disability benefits - there are plans to try to address concerns about inconsistencies in assessment, substandard reporting and inaccurate recording of information given by claimants at medical assessments. There are also some very concerning proposals for further reform of ESA/PIP, which may be of interest to some.

Sorry - just to add that 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.

I was a benefit adviser for many years and continue to offer advice and help with application forms to members of the charity which supports members with my own disability.

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 supervision but not actual physical help is needed, this also counts. For example if someone has dementia which requires keeping them safe, it’s reasonable to assume that they will require 24/7 supervision - so the higher rate will usually be payable if the decision maker agrees. 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, why and for what proportion of the day/night.

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.

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 with or 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 - but this isn’t reassessed automatically in all cases, so it’s worth checking eligibility with the Pensions Service.

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 cannot be paid to someone who earns more than £128 per week or is on any other income replacement benefit which is 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. Carers allowance is also taxable.

Sorry for the length of the post, but hope this helps a bit and if anyone wants help with PIP/DLA applications let me know and I’ll start a thread.

Reported of course- but not before a snigger about the reference to the sedative in China who would not want to know

Brightened my morning somehow

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Just to add , if someone has been diagnosed as having a limited life expectancy of less than 6 months the AA will be fast tracked otherwise it maybe a 12 week wait for it to be paid . It starts from the date of application so it is backdated but maybe needed to help pay for care quickly in these circumstances .

Cabbie21

AA is usually easier to get than PIP, provided the form is filled in appropriately.
Statistically over 75% of PIP appeals will be successful at Tribunal. Interestingly this week a substantial award was made out of court by Capita, one of the companies who do PIP assessments, to the family of a woman who took her own life after DWP stopped her PIP. DWP have declared they will act more sensitively to claimants, and will ensure better training in mental health issues for assessors. Long overdue.

I doubt that will happen!

They are paid bonuses to get people OFF the benefit, and are trained to do it as well - health professionals, pfft - I would be qualified to do that job but my conscience wouldn't let me!

AA is usually easier to get than PIP, provided the form is filled in appropriately.
Statistically over 75% of PIP appeals will be successful at Tribunal. Interestingly this week a substantial award was made out of court by Capita, one of the companies who do PIP assessments, to the family of a woman who took her own life after DWP stopped her PIP. DWP have declared they will act more sensitively to claimants, and will ensure better training in mental health issues for assessors. Long overdue.

pearlsaminger, may I just say that love your name but it always gives me an ear worm.

HillyGirl

I think the postings on this topics highlight the reasons why many people don't apply.
Several misconceptions, passed on as "fact", are quoted, and in my opinion the difficulties in claiming are overstated. I completed my own claim without assistance, and have encouraged several others to do the same. I receive the higher rate, live alone and have no carers. Although I find my personal care difficult I have worked out strategies for coping . The benefit is not means tested, or taxable, and there is no stipulation as to how it should be spent, if at all.

HillyGirl

The difficulties are not being overstated at all - you must have had a good assessor! There is an article in The Independent today which I cannot read all of as it's a premium article BUT it says -
"Disability benefit mistakes are overturned every minute of the working day, analysis shows"
More people are realising that the majority of PIP claims are turned down first time, and Mandatory Reconsiderations, very rarely change the decision, BUT the Tribunal Panel is independent of the DWP and you do get a fair hearing - over the phone now which is much less stressful .....!

f77ms

I get PIP at the enhanced level for care only, apparently if you are over pension age then any mobility issues are considered as normal aging which of course is not true. I struggle mainly with mobility since my terminal cancer diagnosis. I would love to have a cleaner and occasional gardener but i just cant afford it. I had to pay over a thousand to have a stair lift and £40 a month on top. I wondered if AA would be more money but can't find the info and whether one can swap.

f77ms

Are you sure you can't get PIP Mobility?

Sorry to ask but what age are you as that in theory might make a difference?

I suggest you contact Age UK or CAB to have them help you get a benefit check .... as I am unsure if what they told you is correct?

yes, a pity we can't all move to hamm&ful, but it's a tiny boro, and then they might change their policy...

Hetty58

MadeInYorkshire, the system is just mad here - you get AA for help, then it's taken away in means testing.

My friend moved to Scotland, where, at retirement age, you get free personal and nursing care at home and still get Attendance Allowance.

Hetty58

Yes I used to live in Scotland, and my daughters were both born there, certainly one of them thinks we should go back! But it's not a practical solution for my other daughter, my granddaughters or her DH sadly as he would have to leave all his family behind ....

The means testing is a really disgusting practice - it's discretionary too, Hammersmith and Fulham have decided that they will make savings elsewhere and do not charge their disabled residents at all for Social Care - the other LA's aren't bothered at all about their residents, it's all about the money!

Pearlsaminger

PS: why do you think you're a 'minger'?

Pearlsaminger

My elderly neighbour gets AA at lower rate. However in the last few years, she has lost her mobility, through arthritis and spinal degeneration, and simply cannot walk more than a few steps without pain and having to stop and sit down. She screams out in pain - even while sitting with her legs up, and is awaiting a knee replacement. She has various other ailments… diabetes, thyroid, high blood pressure, cellulitis, bullus Penphagoid, low immune system, high blood pressure, pressure sores… it goes on.
She has a nurse three times a week to change dressings.

Also we found out last week she has lost the sight in her eye and she didn’t realise. There’s nothing great can be done. She’s 82.

I’ve suggested she should let the DWP know she has got much worse but she won’t. Says she’s been told she may lose her AA if she has to reapply. I was thinking if she got the higher rate she could afford to hire in extra help.

She’s on her own, no-one else in the world and only has a carer for 30 mins twice a day to empty her commode and make her a sandwich. She gets a quick wash a couple of times a week. Hadn’t had a shower in years.
She’s incontinent and has to take water tablets and I’ll be honest the smell is horrendous at times. She has IBS and won’t wear pants as they take too long to get down, so sits on pads in her chair. So you can guess what happens when she doesn’t get to the commode on time. And guess who has to clean that up too when it’s down her legs, up her back and all over the carpet? ?

She needs the extra help, but won’t admit it.

I’m disabled myself and it’s absolutely killing me trying to care for her outside of carer times. I do her shopping, washing, cook meals, do her admin, gardening, take her to hospital appts etc. She had two appts last week and getting her in and out of the car, and pushing her in a wheelchair is causing more damage to me and my own damaged spine, and is impacting on my life. I spent three days in bed after, in absolute agony. It’s so draining on me and my life seems to revolve around her, which upsets my own daughter when I’m ill myself.

But… she doesn’t have anyone else in the world, and I can’t just leave her to it.

Apologies - this probably isn’t the place to spill this, but I’m truly stuck here and am at my wits end with her. She doesn’t have any friends nearby to help, and the young male neighbour who is her ‘next of kin’ (no idea why) truly couldn’t give a monkeys about her. He lives 20 steps away and she’s seen him and his wife twice since last Christmas. Surprisingly, they’ve had Covid four times since last December.. erm.. yeah. If Covid is the new excuse to not speak to her or visit they’ve got it spot on.

Please, any suggestions? No idea who to speak to next. ?

Pearlsaminger

I would contact Adult Social Care in your area and say you have a 'safeguarding' issue - she isn't looking after herself it seems and why on earth haven't the District Nurses done something??!!

I know you can't leave her to her own devices, I wouldn't be able to either BUT you have your own health to see to as well!

She would be eligible for hospital transport, so no more getting her in and out of the car!

AND - no more cleaning up after her accidents, it's not your job love - it's hard but she is doing you no favours, and 3 days in bed afterwards?? NO, stop it and get SS involved, it's not fair on you - keep me posted! xxx

I get PIP at the enhanced level for care only, apparently if you are over pension age then any mobility issues are considered as normal aging which of course is not true. I struggle mainly with mobility since my terminal cancer diagnosis. I would love to have a cleaner and occasional gardener but i just cant afford it. I had to pay over a thousand to have a stair lift and £40 a month on top. I wondered if AA would be more money but can't find the info and whether one can swap.