Severe disability payment

Steve1310

Registered User
May 21, 2014
16
0
Basildon, Essex
I have just been advised that my Dad no longer qualifies for the above benefit and that because I moved in with him in Dec 2013 and the DWP were not advised, he has an overpayment of £890 to pay back for the period between Feb 14 - Jun 14.
Surely this cannot be right? How can me moving into my Dad's home mean that his disability is no longer classed as severe and therefore his entitlement for this benefit taken away?
In fact, he is currently in hospital as he fell and broke his hip so I would believe the payment is even more fitting as when he comes home, his physical condition will have deteriorated let alone the issues of dementia.
He has also been asked to contribute £10 weekly towards his care further to a financial assessment by the DWP, albeit he has no savings or assets and lives in council accommodation?
I work full time and having taken over his care from my sister who was in receipt of carers allowances, it is unlikely that we will qualify for this payment either.
Yet as his condition is getting worse, particularly over the past few months, I have had far more expenditure in relation to incidental spend as well as major spend on things such as a new bed and waterproof mattress, new bedding, new clothing, lots of cleaning products, all of which I am funding from my own personal savings due to these cuts!
This cannot be right.
It seems that by moving in to help, the DWP has seen it as an opportunity to slash his benefits believing empathy of family members will give in to their shortfalls?
Does anybody know how I can best tackle this? At the moment, it seems our best option is for me to move out?
 
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Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Adding to that, his severe disability premium will stop after four weeks if he is in hospital and he will lose your attendance allowance, DLA care component or PIP daily living component. You will have to tell them if he stays in hospital longer than that.
 
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Steve1310

Registered User
May 21, 2014
16
0
Basildon, Essex
Adding to that, his severe disability premium will stop after four weeks if he is in hospital and he will lose your attendance allowance, DLA care component or PIP daily living component. You will have to tell them if he stays in hospital longer than that.

Do you mean I have a four week lee-way period before I have to notify the DWP?
I'm further confused because I've cancelled his homecare due to him not being at home as he will be going for physiotherapy upon discharge in a care unit for an unknown period of time. My confusion is that the discharge coordinator at the hospital said the hospital social worker would now be in control of my Dad's care until he returns home and I've not yet been able, not through lack of trying, to find out who this person is and also how the hospital social worker and the county social worker will work between them when he does finally come home.
I've no faith in either of them as there is an appalling lack of communication between these bodies and those stuck in between [myself] are left sorting out their mess and by default, you ultimately end up doing their job for them just to ensure your loved ones get the care and respect they deserve. Even more so now as it seems that you end up being financially penalised due to their incompetence within their own area of so-called expertise. I've experienced nothing but poor advice, out of touch social workers who are not up to scratch because they've been in the same old role for many years and have become complacent and the only thing they've developed is 'skill-fade' as they cannot be bothered to do their job properly because they know a family member will! Those is Essex are particularly out of touch and very much in need of replacing!
 
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Steve1310

Registered User
May 21, 2014
16
0
Basildon, Essex
It says you get it if you live alone and no-one gets carers allowance for looking after you,
https://www.gov.uk/disability-premiums-income-support/eligibility


I would enquire if he is entitled to any other benefits get in touch with Age UK or CAB they should be able to help ,

Best wishes, Jeany

Thanks Jeany.

I think this is the answer I've been looking for to contest their decision. My sister who did not work, used to look after my Dad, getting shopping, etc... when he lived alone. However, since I moved in with my Dad, I have not been in receipt of carers allowance and therefore believe the severe disability payment should have been honoured it does state that -

You may still get it if you meet all of these conditions:

no-one gets Carer’s Allowance for looking after you

Using this Government issued eligibility criteria as a guideline, I believe the DWP have not-surprisingly got this decision wrong. Thanks again.

Steve.
 

Steve1310

Registered User
May 21, 2014
16
0
Basildon, Essex

garnuft

Registered User
Sep 7, 2012
6,585
0
I'm afraid Steve1310, it states an applicant must meet all of the conditions


You’ll get this if you meet all of the following conditions:
. you live alone
. you get the middle or highest care component of DLA
. no-one gets Carer’s Allowance for looking after you

It's not really red tape and bureaucracy to inform DWP, it is something we all have to do...declare a change in circumstance.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Didn't you say your sister used to get Carer's Allowance looking after him? Your Dad shouldn't have been paid the disability premium then even before you moved in with him.