Advice please on attendance allowance
- Thread starter thebes
- Start date
You must be more honest than me - TBH I would have said 'No' to that - since presumably the question meant could he wash and dress himself in a 'usual' fashion, i.e within a reasonable time and with minimal, if any, help.
It was quite a while ago now but I filled in my FIL's AA application myself and had no trouble, but I believe they have tightened up now and faced with it again I would certainly ask someone who knew exactly which boxes needed ticking.
Hooray! Just got word that dad is getting AA, backdated to April as well. Should have got someone to have helped with this before really, a huge thank you for the people at the CAB 
Did it myself for my OH sent medical papers all in Spanish was granted the lower rate, if in time he needs the higher rate what are the correct words to use, I would think others would find the information useful.
On Council Tax, if you are a couple and one has diagnosis of dementia and AA then you will have no problem getting council tax reduction of one person being disregarded due to severe mental impairment. Ghastly words I'm afraid. Had to get doctor to sign the form but local council will pay the fee for his signing it.
With AA I was told you couldn't apply until six months after diagnosis and very much agree with the comment about bathing. If you have to help in any way, getting clothes out for them, just being around etc then no, they cannot do it alone. Definitely apply for forms ASAP as backdated to that date and they come with a date for it to be submitted by, might be three months. Get as much specialist help as possible
Good luck to all those applying.
Sent from my A1-811 using Talking Point mobile app
With AA I was told you couldn't apply until six months after diagnosis and very much agree with the comment about bathing. If you have to help in any way, getting clothes out for them, just being around etc then no, they cannot do it alone. Definitely apply for forms ASAP as backdated to that date and they come with a date for it to be submitted by, might be three months. Get as much specialist help as possible
Good luck to all those applying.
Sent from my A1-811 using Talking Point mobile app
I filled the form in for my Mam , it took a long time to fill in , finding the information ,names ,dates etc of appts with medical professionals and making sure you put the information on the form in the 'correct' way took a lot of time . I would request a form ASAP I rang them up if your claim is successful it is back dated to the date you asked for the form . I would ask for help filling it in as suggested by other people on TP I sucessfully claimed AA for Mam but not an easy form to fill in .
Even if you ask for a claim form now then arrange help to fill it in ,you get quite a while to fill it in ,Good luck .
Even if you ask for a claim form now then arrange help to fill it in ,you get quite a while to fill it in ,Good luck .
I applied much sooner as advised by the consultant psychiatrist and it was back-dated to the date of diagnosis.
I also had nothing to do with asking the GP to sign any form for council tax reduction. The council must have contacted him after I rang up and asked about it as very soon after we received the letter, mentioned earlier, addressed to my husband telling him that he was no longer liable to pay council tax due to his mental impairment.
Perhaps I was just lucky - makes a change!
Last edited:
"...Had to get doctor to sign the form but local council will pay the fee for his signing it..."
If the person is registered with the GP there is no charge payable.
PAGE2
21. - (1) A contract must contain a term which has the effect of requiring the contractor to
issue free of charge to a patient or his personal representatives any medical certificate of a
description prescribed in column 1 of Schedule 4, which is reasonably required under or for the
purposes of the enactments specified in relation to the certificate in column 2 of that Schedule,
Pages 10/11
APPENDIX 1
SCHEDULE 4
Regulation 21
LIST OF PRESCRIBED MEDICAL CERTIFICATES...
....
9. To support a claim by or on behalf of a severely
mentally impaired person for exemption from
liability to pay the Council Tax or eligibility for a
discount in respect of the amount of Council Tax
payable
>>>BMI DOCUMENT<<<
If the person is registered with the GP there is no charge payable.
PAGE2
21. - (1) A contract must contain a term which has the effect of requiring the contractor to
issue free of charge to a patient or his personal representatives any medical certificate of a
description prescribed in column 1 of Schedule 4, which is reasonably required under or for the
purposes of the enactments specified in relation to the certificate in column 2 of that Schedule,
Pages 10/11
APPENDIX 1
SCHEDULE 4
Regulation 21
LIST OF PRESCRIBED MEDICAL CERTIFICATES...
....
9. To support a claim by or on behalf of a severely
mentally impaired person for exemption from
liability to pay the Council Tax or eligibility for a
discount in respect of the amount of Council Tax
payable
>>>BMI DOCUMENT<<<
I would get advice. We got Age Uk and they were very good. But we still had it turned down twice. Age Uk said they would support and help with an appeal for us, and we sent off the initial paperwork and got a reply saying they had re considered. My advice would be to keep pushing if you get turned down and to get someone experienced to help you fill it in. It is a very long form. I think in our area the CAB have people trained to help too. Age Uk actually came out first time to help us and it took over two hours. Best of luck -remember you have both paid taxes all of your life so you deserve this.
I studied the relevant >>>DWP DECISION MAKER'STAFF GUIDE<<< , completed the form and took it with supporting documents to CAB to see what they thought of it.
The lady said it was fine, asked if she could show it somebody else and then offered me a job as an adviser, I had to decline as I was too busy caring for my wife.
The higher rate was awarded.
The secret is to either DYOR or go to somebody who has researched it already.
The lady said it was fine, asked if she could show it somebody else and then offered me a job as an adviser, I had to decline as I was too busy caring for my wife.
The higher rate was awarded.
The secret is to either DYOR or go to somebody who has researched it already.
This is excellent advice Marion. I, too, contacted Age UK, and the consultant who came to our home couldn't have been more helpful.
She did all the work for me.
All I had to do was to show her our bank statements, and details of our living expenses. I also had to provide a medical diagnosis of my husband's mental condition.
It took a couple of months to complete; but I was steered through the whole experience with sympathy and respect.
This is excellent advice Marion. I, too, contacted Age UK, and the consultant who came to our home couldn't have been more helpful.
She did all the work for me.
All I had to do was to show her our bank statements, and details of our living expenses. I also had to provide a medical diagnosis of my husband's mental condition.
It took a couple of months to complete; but I was steered through the whole experience with sympathy and respect.
Sorry am I wrong but I thought AA wasn't means tested so why the checking of your bank statements and living expenses?
K
AA is not means tested.
What most likely happened was that Age UK did a screening to check that all possible benefits had been applied for and obtained.
This screening is common with most of the support agencies, although they usually make it clear what they are doing.
What most likely happened was that Age UK did a screening to check that all possible benefits had been applied for and obtained.
This screening is common with most of the support agencies, although they usually make it clear what they are doing.
No argument with Age UK a good bunch of people, but is it acceptable to "screen" people for information not relevant to the benefit they're claiming, in fact is it acceptable for any support agency to harvest information like this at all?
I thought there were rules that allowed (in my case) my wife to be assessed but that my financial affairs were off limits for discussion with the SS if so then Age UK are treading a very fine line doing something Government Agencies aren't allowed to do.
K
Thanks
Thank you all for your advice. I have now got the forms and will get someone to help me fill them in - which may not be as simple as I thought. CAB have stopped their home visiting scheme - because of cutbacks - so I will get over to their office when I can, or try Age Concern who are further away. My AZ Soc. worker tells me she is not trained to do this which was a bit of a surprise, but then I am not sure what her role is, if anything other than running the monthly support group, and weekly drop-ins. I am still learning my way through all of this and find TPers a great help.
Thank you all for your advice. I have now got the forms and will get someone to help me fill them in - which may not be as simple as I thought. CAB have stopped their home visiting scheme - because of cutbacks - so I will get over to their office when I can, or try Age Concern who are further away. My AZ Soc. worker tells me she is not trained to do this which was a bit of a surprise, but then I am not sure what her role is, if anything other than running the monthly support group, and weekly drop-ins. I am still learning my way through all of this and find TPers a great help.
I filled the forms in ( and was successful first time on both counts) for my Mum and my MIL. Actually 3 times, because I applied again for Mum when she qualified for the Higher Rate.
Basically I filled them in for the worst ever scenario....ie when Mum had a bad case of the trots and couldn't manage to change her soiled nightie or do her washing....when she would phone me at midnight with an obscure question.....when she needed me to help her wash her hair or help her in the bath, she needed me to go food shopping with her because she was, then, partially sighted, now blind. Mum needed someone to help her with her laundry...again because of her eyes, but also because of her dementia she could not remember how to do thing........like I say, these things may not apply everytime just now, but they have happened and will, most likely, happen again. Every little bit of personal aid you give...you list. Nail cutting or taking Mum to the Chiropodist, washing hair or taking to the hairdressers. All these things should be listed.
Basically I filled them in for the worst ever scenario....ie when Mum had a bad case of the trots and couldn't manage to change her soiled nightie or do her washing....when she would phone me at midnight with an obscure question.....when she needed me to help her wash her hair or help her in the bath, she needed me to go food shopping with her because she was, then, partially sighted, now blind. Mum needed someone to help her with her laundry...again because of her eyes, but also because of her dementia she could not remember how to do thing........like I say, these things may not apply everytime just now, but they have happened and will, most likely, happen again. Every little bit of personal aid you give...you list. Nail cutting or taking Mum to the Chiropodist, washing hair or taking to the hairdressers. All these things should be listed.
My mum had it, she recently passed away and I applied years ago it was relatively easy to complete the forms then, and her gp had to provide info. We got the higher rate. I'm not so sure now with all the cutbacks and would say go to the CAB but never, ever no matter who it is allow them access to your private bank statements especially in your own home. Councils do of course have secure storage for info but the CAB or another charity well asking to even see such items is a bit odd. Unless of course they thought the person might be getting carers allowance. The best bit of advice is don't panic often these forms look worse and much longer than they actually are. I hope you do persist as the AA is not charity it is a right to help the person in difficult circumstances. Good luck.xxx
