Paying for Care

[stumpy]

My mum just had a financial assessment and was told she would have to pay £58 a week.

I thought as her savings are under £10.000 she wouldn't have to pay or only a small amount. She is getting just over £200 a week from pensions. Is that a lot,do most pensioners get less?

She has just been advised to apply for Attendance Allowance but when i read who qualifies for it, its not what she needs it for, she is just getting someone to check she is taking her memory medicine in the morning and will be attending a day centre once a week. She is mostly still independent.

The lady who came was nice and very helpful on how to fill in the form but my mum doesn't need help to dress or cook or wash or shop, yes she doesn't get it right all the time but she doesn't need help and i was advised to say she did.

Which is the problem.
I feel like im lying, even though i think after 20 years of working full time as a mum and 40 years in a tax paying job, surely she is entitled to it?

Any help or even just encouragement would be so much appreciated

stumpy

 

[DozyDoris]

Hi Stumpy, apply, contact the DWP and someone will fill the application in with you. Your Mum needs help with her meds and will probably need more, even if she just gets the lower rate, every little helps.
We've all worked and paid into the system, attendance allowance isn't means tested, both my parents get it at the higher rate, my Mum is physically disabled and Dad has AD. The lady from DWP was fantastic and knew exactly what to put, it's not lying just knowing the right wording.
Have you looked at Direct Payments?
Good luck,
Jane x

 

[stumpy]

Thanks Jane,
I have only just started reading the form today, i just didn't feel right about it.
Thanks for your advice and encouragement. I will have another go. thanks again
stumpy

 

[Contrary Mary]

I would suggest approaching someone like Age Concern or AS or any other similar local charity to talk it over and help with finding the right words for the form. I'm not clear who you have already spoken to, was she from the DWP, perhaps? Or the Council?

Does Mum have some days better than others, you need to put the bad days on the form

Does she struggle to do things? Again, use the worst possible scenario.

The worst that can happen is that Mum would be turned down. But without knowing your situation in exact details, I would certainly say talk to an expert like I've suggested above.

Another thing, SS should send you a calculation of how they arrive at £58 per week. At the very least you are entitled to an explanation.

Hope this helps
Mary
x

 

[stumpy]

Thanks Mary,
That's what the financial assessment lady was saying, she works for Enfield councils adult social care department.

After reading your reply, i phoned them and they told me mum is being charged based on her income, which turns out to be more than i had worked out. But they are still (as all you kind people are also doing) advising me to apply for the allowance.

Thanks again
sandra
stumpy

 

[Contrary Mary]

Hi Sandra

I've just looked on the web and you have an Age Concern in Enfield. From my experience, I would strongly suggest giving them a call, you've nothing to lose!

Good luck
Mary
x

PS Also see you are lucky enough to have Alzheimer's Society in your borough

 

[graybags]

With my parents their CPN help me fill in the form in the correct fashion and then provided a written supporting statement, very helpful indeed, don't be shy about claiming what you are entitled to

 

[Clive]

Hi Stumpy

I’m not sure if you have already received the following advice which is that once your mum has a diagnosis of dementia AND is receiving Attendance Allowance you should apply to the Council for your mum’s Council Tax Disregard (for people with a mental illness). This will mean that your mum will not be counted when they calculate the Council Tax.

I keep bringing this up on TP because I was not told by SS and had to find out myself.

Clive

 

[sistermillicent]

Hallo Stumpy, haven't seen you on here for a while, just thought I would respond to give you encouragement, I don't know much about attendance allowance and all those things. I do think you should go for it though, it isn't you getting the money after all it is your mum, you just have to try and get everything you possibly can for her.
No one will award you points or anything else for NOT doing it.

How is your mum, and how are you doing yourself?

Love

 

[Nebiroth]

Apply for the allowance. Many things count towards entitlement to it, lots of them you won't even have thought of because you take them for granted or think they are too trivial. For example - if your mum has a struggle to get out of a chair then formally this means "unable to rise unassisted" and that's what you'd put in the form.

In any case, if your mum can't manage her medications properly, then that means she requires supervision to ensure her safety. Lots of people qualify for AA under this requirement.

Get help to fil in the form. When it is assessed they will asign exact meanings to the words you use, therefore, it is essential to use the correct terms that properly describe your mum's needs. The language will probably sound quite formal and not the way a lay-person would put things down.

I did the applications for my mum and dad myself, we got the allowances in both cases, but the social worker who visited us about a year after this and said "you should apply for AA" was really surprised that we had managed to apply without help and not be turned down.

£200 a week is a fairly good income for a pensioner. Remember that AA is not means tested in any way, it is tax free, it does not count towards income when she is assessed for other benefits.

If someone is in residential care, then if they are self-funded they can receive AA. It is stopped if they are state funded because this would mean the state would pay the benefit and then take it back again which is wasteful.

 

[thatwoman]

Hi Stumpy,
I know how you feel about applying for AA, because I felt that Dad would probably not qualify. In our case the CPN helped me: I filled out all his details and then she wrote the accompanying statement. He got the higher rate, and very soon afterwards I'd have to say he needed help with everything, so the CPN was right to tell me to apply.

If your Mum is having to pay for care, then she must need care, cos the powers that be take some convincing before they agree to provide it. Just describe what is being paid for.

I hope you get it sorted out.

Love Sue x

 

[stumpy]

Thank You One and All

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all your help.

I just finished filling in the form. (it took me 6 hours) The assessment officer went through it with me, telling me what to say for each question, even the form itself gives you advice.

We are all fine thanks Sistermillicent, my sis and me were at mums as usual for Sunday lunch, playing cards, my mum is always so cheerful apart from when the cards are not being good to her lol

 

[Margaret W]

I was just about to say "Get applying NOW" when I read that you had. People like me and my husband, and probably you and your family, have paid many thousands of pounds into the state (as is quite right that we do) and on the odd occasion that we have needed help, found we were not entitled.

It is to help people who are not able to do everything for themselves. Your mum is in that position, albeit managing some things. But not others. If you are granted AA and feel your mum doesn't need it, you can always donate some to a needy charity. But get what you are entitled to. There's far too many people who need help who don't get any.

Love

Margaret