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Tilly18CC

New member
Aug 19, 2019
3
0
Hello to you all.
I'm new to this forum. My mother has Alzheimer's - diagnosed about 4 years ago.
My father gave up work to be with her at home, having run his own business for over 20 years.
He is not coping too well of late.
I have organised power of attorney for him and my mother and I see them every weekend but I would like to know if anyone has any experience of applying for attendance allowance.
My father hasn't come around to the idea but I think its time to get the paper work in order for him as her carer later on.
She's not had a great deal of help from the local NHS GP but has been helped a lot by a private GP in London.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
 

nae sporran

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
9,213
0
Bristol
Welcome to DTP, Tilly18CC. It is definitely worth applying for attendance allowance, as your won't get carers allowance with your mum being awarded AA. It's not means tested, though carers allowance is. We got help upgrading from the lower rate of AA to the higher rate from a local debt and benefits advisory agency, and it is so complicated that was helpful.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Both Age UK and citizens Advice will help you fill in the form.
The form is not for the fainthearted! It is very easy to downplay problems, so you have to fill it in assuming that it is the very worst day from hell!! You also have to fill it in assuming that a different person will read every question, so dont worry about repeating yourself.
 

Tilly18CC

New member
Aug 19, 2019
3
0
Both Age UK and citizens Advice will help you fill in the form.
The form is not for the fainthearted! It is very easy to downplay problems, so you have to fill it in assuming that it is the very worst day from hell!! You also have to fill it in assuming that a different person will read every question, so dont worry about repeating yourself.
 

Tilly18CC

New member
Aug 19, 2019
3
0
Thank you for the reply ... very useful comments. I have made a start on completing the form but can see it’s quite repetitive.
 

Bikerbeth

Registered User
Feb 11, 2019
2,119
0
Bedford
Due to my ignorance and Mum telling me she could still do everything we were rejected with the first application. We were too late for various reasons to appeal. Age UK in our area made a referral to DWP so we could put in a new application and an advisor came out to me and Mum from DWP. He went through the form with Mum and completed it there and then. I then totally understood where I had gone wrong initially believing the Alzheimers diagnosis was enough but as he said to me as far as the form was concerned for example the fact that Mum could never buy/cook or obtain a hot meal on her own was irrelevant only whether she could hold a knife and fork to eat it. Also irrelevant was Mum ‘shorting’ electrics and double dosing on tablets. So all the additional information I had put on the first form was ignored. So as Canary suggested it may be worth taking advise or having the form checked prior to submission as I had thought I was a reasonably intelligent person.
 

Batsue

Registered User
Nov 4, 2014
4,893
0
Scotland
My mum has just been awarded attendance allowance at the higher rate, the form was completed by a lady from the DWP who met me at a local cafe as mum has no insight into her condition and would have had a massive tantrum if she had come to the house. She asked me each question and completed the form and then asked me to sign it, this made it so easy as she knew how to phrase each answer.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Also irrelevant was Mum ‘shorting’ electrics and double dosing on tablets.
I seem to remember that there is a question about having to keep her safe and I added this sort of information in the box as examples. I also added examples of her going out at night, inadequately dressed, the fact that she had no road sense and that she would get lost. You have to fill in the box at the bottom with examples, or you wont get points. The more examples you can think of the better.