Attendance Allowance - what is it intended for?

[Alex54]

We recently moved to Wales where the contribution towards the cost of care provided by social services is capped at 90 pounds per week. Financially we are not well off and would be below the contribution threshold except that our last home is in France but we have been unable to sell it.

Before anyone asks we would move back to France tomorrow but social won't allow it and anyway with Brexit who knows what is going to happen.

We are currently being asked to use the attendance allowance to pay the 90 pounds per week contribution. That sounds sensible but then I keep asking myself what is the allowance actually intended for? Should it not go towards the extra costs of looking after someone, i.e. extra heating, daily washing of bedding, additional transport costs, etc.

So my question is this, should I just cave-in and hand over the attendance allowance or should I make a stand and say I need it for the additional day to day expenses?

 

[Beate]

The Attendance Allowance is just extra money in the pot. There is no specific way to use it so use it for whatever needs paying. However, if the £90 are their contribution, why do you have to pay it?

 

[Alex54]

why do you have to pay it?

Our home in France is viewed as a capital asset and therefore taken into the contribution calculations. It doesn't matter if we can turn the house into money or not, it is just assumed you have pots of money elsewhere.

 

[Sirena]

Social services told me you could use AA for whatever you like, there is no specific use for it.

 

[nitram]

However, if the £90 are their contribution, why do you have to pay it?

I read

the contribution towards the cost of care provided by social services is capped at 90 pounds per week.

as meaning that the amount the client could be asked to pay was capped at £90/wk and, with a capital asset and lack of other funding, SS are saying the AA should be used to pay this.

I consider this reasonable.

 

[DennyD]

I read

as meaning that the amount the client could be asked to pay was capped at £90/wk and, with a capital asset and lack of other funding, SS are saying the AA should be used to pay this.

I consider this reasonable.

Nitram is right. I also live in Wales and the AA we receive goes toward paying for any services my husband needs, this includes the possibility of payment for care and support workers up to £90 per week.

 

[Beate]

If you're not eligible for a contribution from SS then the care money will have to be paid from any money the cared for has. Whether they are in receipt of AA is irrelevant. When someone gets it, it is part of their assets and can be used for anything. It isn't about you caving in - the contribution has to be paid from whichever money there is.

 

[witts1973]

wow,that's amazing,England seems to be the wrong place to be,the AA will cover most of the care then,I wish my mum was in that position,she has to pay £1100 a month

 

[Di*]

I could never fathom what the Attendance Allowance was actually for.