Query re attendance allowance

Same here barmeyoldbat - when I completed this form I never mentioned ANYTHING about any personal care. I personally care for myself!!!

Sandytoes comments are exactly the sort that makes people worried about claiming for AA - many of whom are very much entitled to it and would find life so much better if they got it.

I don’t need personal care and have never said on a form that I do but it was accepted that I needed care to make sure That I am safe at night going to the toilet as I tend to fall due to medication, this card is provided by Mr B at the moment but could also be provided by wearing an alarm. Personal care does not mean just someone washing and dressing you but someone encouraging or reminding you, even just to squeeze the toothpaste onto the brush for you. This all comes under personal care.

Having had some experience of these forms I think it is reasonable to base answers on your worst days rather than better days but the answers still need to be accurate and truthful and if you are claiming for personal care which isnt ever needed then it is possible the money could be reclaimed at a later date if the claim was deemed inaccurate . As MOnica has said it is hard to get a claim approved unless you are entitled to it , the exception would be if the form was filled in inaccurately . This certaining isnt your fault as the form was filled by someone else but it is your responsibility to let the DWP know if this is the case . It's such a shame the bar is set too high for most people to genuinely claim some help to manage to stay independently in their own homes .

www.gov.uk/government/publications/attendance-allowance-claim-form
Some people may like to look at a form. There are useful notes too on this link.

I have AA (higher rate), no carers. So the money that I receive has given me the opportunity to purchase all sorts of aids to help with my problems.
Even with an en-suite, getting to the loo in time at night can prove difficult. I now have something to help me get out of bed, and something to help me get to that loo. The AA also helps to pay for the extra washing required when even all of this is not enough. Have a trolley to help me around the flat, suitable cooking facilities, and a scooter and powerchair for when I go out.

Without AA I would be leading a miserable existence, unable to leave my flat, to go to groups and meetings and social activities, worried about 'accidents' taking place day and night with my stoma, etc. Even paying the extra to have supermarket deliveries might well be beyond my means.

Before I came to the flat, I also used this money for a gardener, but now do not need that, but do pay for a good window cleaner. At present I can still push a vacuum cleaner around, but may need to get a home cleaner in the future.

What I do NOT want is any sort of personal care.

M0nica

Having been an Age Concern (now Age UK) benefits advisor for over 10 years, I think it is highly unlikely that any of their advisors would put anything down on the form that was not true.

What does happen is that many people do not realise quite how disabled they are because their disabilities come on slowly and are expressed in terms of what they cannot do. 'needing help in the garden', need help in the house'.

But if you need help in the garden, it will be because your arthritis means you cannot bend anymore, or you are afraid of falling and not being able to get up again and there are probably other things you do not do that you do not notice, or minor changes you have made in your life, because of stiffness The same with cleaning.

One of the first questions the AA form asks about is getting in and out of bed. When a client told me they had no problem, I would respond,'So you leap out of bed like 20 year old.'. The client woukd say, Oh no, First I have to sit up in bed and wait a bit, then I manage to get my legs over the side of the bed and rest, then I lean on the bedside table to help to stand ..........'

Now someone in that situation does not need a carer coming into the house, But clearly struggles to get out (and into) bed and in an ideal world could do with an Aladdin's Lamp they can rub, and a carer pops out to lend them an arm for a minute or two before popping back into the lamp again. They might be glad of some help getting down stairs (remember a stair lift is an answer to a problem, it doesn't mean you do not have problem.), just for a minute or two.

Anything you do or do not do now that you did or did not do when you were younger and fitter, is likely to be because you cannot do it anymore because of the problem of an aging body.

Time after time I had clients like Ex-dancer who were simply unaware of the problems they had, because they came on slowly and they made adjustments.

So ex-dancer, go to Age UK and ask them to explain their responses on the form and before you go ask yourself these questions. What physical problems are the cause of you needing help in the garden and in what way do those physical problems affect everything else you do, from getting out of bed to moving round the house, to the actions you take to protect yourself from falling.

I reiterate, I think it is highly unlikely that what is written on the form was wrong, more that, you had not realised how much the problems you have doing the gardening/shopping were limiting and restricting the rest of our life, you had just adjusted yourself to them gradually without thinking about them.

Excellent advice.

We don’t know the full story of the needs of the poster, so before we get on our high horse there is a need to know more. You can get AA without the need for help with going to the loo and washing. I get it and I have never said I need hr.p in this area. So please can we sto; scaring the poster and giving her wrong information.. what she needs to do is go back to Age Concefn first and discuss before contacting anyone else.

A claimant can need help, but not get it if they have nobody to help them. They can use the money to buy an aid, which may help them with a specific problem. They don’t need to be in receipt of help to be eligible for AA.
You could contact Adult Social care for an assessment, to see what support is available for your specific needs. It may be a carer, or a rising chair, or toilet frame, bath aid, grab rails, or a wet room……

Cabbie21 and Kitty Lester thanks for the views but you are assuming there are carers. My point really is if no carers and having personal needs is AA appropriate as it does not seem to me to meet the care need identified. I struggle with the need personal care but even with full AA the personal care may not be being purchased so is there really a need? Not trying to be contraversal just trying to get it clear in my own mind.

As this thread dates back four months, wouldn't it be useful to know whether ex-dancer has solved the conundrum of her eligibility (or not) for AA?

Davida1968

M0nica (& others) you have written insightful & helpful outlines, which really make things clear. I have nothing to add except to say that Age UK were enormously helpful for my relative (age in mid-90s) when completing an AA form.

A few years ago I helped someone fill out the AA application. Obviously didn't use the right words as she was turned down. She didn't appeal I just wish I'd known Age Concern would help with form filling. On the other hand I wonder what others put on the form to claim. I know someone who receives it he broke bones in his foot 15 years ago when a flag fell over. He couldn't walk for a while however he wasn't pension age and worked full time. Once he reached pension age he claimed AA for his foot and got it. Doesn't stop him walking and going on holiday and is of the opinion 'claim what you can' although they (he's married) have plenty of money and a place abroad. I would advise anyone with any sort of disability, mobility or health issue or who needs help in and around the home to apply for it. Just find the trigger words to ensure your claim is successful.

It can be used to pay for personal care or to free up the carer to do more care and less other stuff.

Dontknow, I get what you are saying, but look at it from another point of view.
Having complete freedom how the money is spent gives the claimant and their carer the independence to make their own arrangements for whatever helps them best. It could be buying a commode to help with night time loo needs, or more comfortable mattress to help them sleep better and maybe not wake so often.
Apply that principle to other problems.
There are very few carers available these days and getting someone to stay every night to help with toilet needs, or any other specific need, would cost far more than the AA.

Or from another angle: how could DWP possibly control how that money is spent without huge amounts of bureaucracy which costs more to administer than the actual benefit?
Hope this helps.

Always get help when filling out these forms. My dad was diddled out of over a £1000 because the lady from DWP led me with various dates and consequently his allowance was not back dated as it should have been.

Hi kitty Lester thank you for replying. Sorry but you mentioned to make carers life easier which makes sense as the carer would be doing the care.
The scenario l was asking about to try to understand was where there is no carer / person present to help with personal care. With AA awarded based on personal care needs if those needs are not being addressed with the allowance it seems to me the care need is still there which is what l do not understand. An example given earlier mentioned if someone got up in the night they may be in danger of falls etc. How would paying AA which is spent on someone to do housework help with personal care?

The point is that AA can be used for anything that might make the Carer's job easier.

It might indeed be used to provide that care rrequired or provide a cleaner, for instance so, that the carers other responsibilities are reduced

I have read many of the posts here mentioning AA is awarded because help is needed with personal care however AA does not need to be spent on personal care. Sorry l am confused?
If an AA claim is awarded as someone needs help getting to toilet at night unless the AA monies are spent on getting that help l cannot see the point of the claim as it does not address the need or help safety. Genuine query and would be grateful for thoughts or advice.

M0nica (& others) you have written insightful & helpful outlines, which really make things clear. I have nothing to add except to say that Age UK were enormously helpful for my relative (age in mid-90s) when completing an AA form.

pensionpat

Teacher Anne do not spend too long thinking about it. Your age is critical. AA is for people of State Pension age, and would be awarded on difficulties with personal care only. Not the mobility issues you have clearly outlined. The good news is that people under State Pension age can claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP). There is a component for personal care, which is the same criteria and rates for AA. But in addition there is a mobility component which attracts an extra payment. From what you’ve written you have significant difficulties in mobility and personal care. Please do not miss out.

Thanks for this advice, I had forgotten that AA was for people of State Pension Age. I’ll contact Age UK to see if they can help me.

If you think you qualify for AA, apply for it, but get Age Uk to help you complete it.

The worst that can happen is that they can turn you down. If you do get turned down, get the appeal form and appeal, make sure you request an appeal in person, not just a paper review.

The review in person, means attending a meeting with a doctor, disability expert and a solicitor. It is not at all court like, you sit round a table and you can take someone with you. It is not accusatory or cross questioning. You will just be asked about what you wrote on the form.

The vast majority of appeals are granted, the Appeal Panel usually know and understand far more about disability than the clerks who make the original decision. I did quite a number when I worked for Age Concern (Now Age UK) and never had an AA appeal rejected.

Good advice pp. My advice about getting help filling in the form is also relevant especially as time is short.

Teacher Anne do not spend too long thinking about it. Your age is critical. AA is for people of State Pension age, and would be awarded on difficulties with personal care only. Not the mobility issues you have clearly outlined. The good news is that people under State Pension age can claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP). There is a component for personal care, which is the same criteria and rates for AA. But in addition there is a mobility component which attracts an extra payment. From what you’ve written you have significant difficulties in mobility and personal care. Please do not miss out.

Anyone who thinks they might be entitled to AA should seriously consider getting help with filling in the form. AgeUk and CAB are good places to start.

Teacheranne, certainly you should apply for AA, and at the higher rate i'd say.
have you tried to get some pads from the local continence service, accessed via GP.
that might save a little.
all the best.

I'm sure you should consider it Teacheranne. Thank you for such a descriptive post. Over time I have seen posts from those who have helped with the forms; I have felt I have got something from each one. This idea of unravelling the "coping" strategies seems really helpful although I can see that we all want to feel we are being independent. Hopefully, those applying for AA will find it gives them more personal control of their lives for longer.

I have to admit that I feel the best thing I can give my children is my independence. Many of the posts on here do help me see it in a wider and more continuous way.