DLA and Attendance Allowance

[Duggies-girl]

Hi all

My Dad has the higher rate of DLA mobility component for life and the lower rate of the care component so he has a motobility car which I am now using to drive him around.

Dad has not yet been diagnosed but the memory clinic appointment is booked.

I need to apply for carers allowance as I am no longer able to work full time and look after Dad also I need to have my National Insurance credits kept up to date for my own sake.

Seems he is not entitled to a carer as he is only on the lower rate of the DLA care component and I don't want him to lose his motobility car as I need it to care for him.

Is it possible to get Attendance allowance along side the DLA as I don't want to change him to the PIP allowance because he could lose his lifetime mobility component and end up with less allowance or is it possible to change his DLA care component to middle or higher rate without going down the PIP road.

This is all very confusing but I really do need to have carers allowance as I spend 7 days a week running dad to the shops etc and spent a lot of time with him.

Many thanks for any help.

 

[AD123]

You cannot claim AA and DLA.

In order to get middle rate care, which is what he needs for you to claim Carer's Allowance, your dad has to need help throughout the day. Unfortunately running him to the shops or just spending time with him doesn't count. The only way to get his claim changed from low rate is to be reassessed but, as you've found out, this means his claim could go down as well as up.

 

[Duggies-girl]

Thank you AD123 You have confirmed what I suspected. That it is very complicated.

He does need help though, he is not capable of getting a bus or doing his own shopping any more. He has very limited mobility without his car and is very confused about money. He would not be safe to go out on his own. I am driving him around because he has had a few prangs and has recently been unable to remember where he parked it. Doctor has told him that he must not drive anymore.

He can't cook for himself and to be honest he would not eat properly unless I was not there to make sure that he does.

Thank you anyway for your help.

 

[Pickles53]

A couple of ideas, though you may already have thought of those and they may not work in your situation..... I'm really thinking about alternatives which would free up your time and enable you to work. You're quite right to be concerned about keeping your NI contributions or credits going as missing years/months will affect your future pension rights. That may be a long way off compared to today's immediate crisis but still matters. Of course if you are still working part-time that will help.

If shopping and cooking are the main concerns, have you looked at the possibility of online shopping delivery and/or local meals on wheels services? Or if your dad could still manage to heat a microwave meal, Wiltshire Farm Foods or Oakham Foods have a good range. I found the WFF delivery guys were very sympathetic to my mum's needs and very helpful with putting stuff away for her.

Does your dad need someone to escort him all the time he's out? If it is just that he needs a driver to get him from A to B and back, are there local dial-a-ride or volunteer driver services? My mum used these for a fair while; she never drove and these helped when her mobility problems made it too difficult for her to use buses.

 

[Duggies-girl]

A couple of ideas, though you may already have thought of those and they may not work in your situation..... I'm really thinking about alternatives which would free up your time and enable you to work. You're quite right to be concerned about keeping your NI contributions or credits going as missing years/months will affect your future pension rights. That may be a long way off compared to today's immediate crisis but still matters. Of course if you are still working part-time that will help.

If shopping and cooking are the main concerns, have you looked at the possibility of online shopping delivery and/or local meals on wheels services? Or if your dad could still manage to heat a microwave meal, Wiltshire Farm Foods or Oakham Foods have a good range. I found the WFF delivery guys were very sympathetic to my mum's needs and very helpful with putting stuff away for her.

Does your dad need someone to escort him all the time he's out? If it is just that he needs a driver to get him from A to B and back, are there local dial-a-ride or volunteer driver services? My mum used these for a fair while; she never drove and these helped when her mobility problems made it too difficult for her to use buses.

Thank you Pickles 53

Had a long hard look at this and pension is five years away, I only need two years top ups so I will probably just pay them nearer the time. I was working as a barmaid and split shifts I can do without as it left me with no time. I can go back anytime I want as staff are always needed but I would rather not at the moment.

Dad is very quiet and reserved and I know he would prefer me to strangers so we will stick with that for the time being.

Thanks again.

 

[AD123]

Thank you AD123 You have confirmed what I suspected. That it is very complicated.

He does need help though, he is not capable of getting a bus or doing his own shopping any more. He has very limited mobility without his car and is very confused about money. He would not be safe to go out on his own. I am driving him around because he has had a few prangs and has recently been unable to remember where he parked it. Doctor has told him that he must not drive anymore.

He can't cook for himself and to be honest he would not eat properly unless I was not there to make sure that he does.

Thank you anyway for your help.

Unfortunately, from what you describe here, he wouldn't get middle rate care. What you describe is applicable for the low rate care allowance. He would need much more help during the day to get middle rate. His limited mobility and being unsafe to go out on his own is covered under his high rate mobility allowance and is not taken into account for the care component.

 

[Duggies-girl]

Unfortunately, from what you describe here, he wouldn't get middle rate care. What you describe is applicable for the low rate care allowance. He would need much more help during the day to get middle rate. His limited mobility and being unsafe to go out on his own is covered under his high rate mobility allowance and is not taken into account for the care component.

Thank you. I have realised that I am not going to get any help with this but I cannot go on with working split shifts and looking after dad. So I will take the loss and dad comes first. I am quiet happy with it all now as I now know where I am. In a bit of a pickle it seems but hey ho.