Don't know what Personal Independence Payment is but now get Attendance Allowance with help from CAB who were brilliant. It took a long time to come through and first application done by myself was turned down but we got there in the end. Keep going and good luck.
Applying for Attendance allowance - when is the right time?
- Thread starter saucepan
- Start date
My dad is 90 and as soon as he was confirmed with Lewys dementia he applied and received attendance allowance full rate, my mum was his main carer and the Mental Health Team helped them complete the form. He too has a private pension and has to pay for carers which AA helps with.
He has carers in 7 days a week to help with shower days, breakfast and tablet taking. This will help relieve some of the pressure from you and your dads partner. After all its not just them that have to live with this terrible condition.
Apply for council tax relief as anyone with Alzheimer's is exempt. We applied and receive 100% relief. Depending on age he might qualify for PIP but I understand at retirement age this is replaced with AA. I might be wrong but is my understanding.
He has carers in 7 days a week to help with shower days, breakfast and tablet taking. This will help relieve some of the pressure from you and your dads partner. After all its not just them that have to live with this terrible condition.
Apply for council tax relief as anyone with Alzheimer's is exempt. We applied and receive 100% relief. Depending on age he might qualify for PIP but I understand at retirement age this is replaced with AA. I might be wrong but is my understanding.
We applied for the attendance allowance, it was rejected, I spoke with the department for work and pensions, who advised us to write again detailing all the issues my mum in law has and to think about the issues at the very worse. We managed to get the higher rate, it took 6 months but it was also backdated. Once you receive aa there may be other financial help you can get.
In Denial
My lady partner was diagnosed with Alzheimers last January. She is almost certainly a good candidate for Attendance Allowance but is unfortunately in complete denial about her condition. If I were to put the forms in front of her every question and answer would find her arguing that her condition is far too minor to make any difference to our lives. Social Services say the form should be completed and signed by her but even if it was completed for her she would refuse to sign it after reading. Anyone else had this problem?
My lady partner was diagnosed with Alzheimers last January. She is almost certainly a good candidate for Attendance Allowance but is unfortunately in complete denial about her condition. If I were to put the forms in front of her every question and answer would find her arguing that her condition is far too minor to make any difference to our lives. Social Services say the form should be completed and signed by her but even if it was completed for her she would refuse to sign it after reading. Anyone else had this problem?
Personal Independance Payment (PIP) has replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for new claimants. This benefit is for people under 65.
Attendance Allowance (AA) is for people over 65 years old. These benefits are not influenced by any income you may have. They are based upon how your problems affect your daily life.
I would recommend you get help to fill in the form from Citizens Advice Bureau, Welfare Rights or Age Concern or a similar agency as they understand how to fill in the form correctly to give the best chance of receiving the benefit. They can also advise on further benefits (Severe Disability Premium, Carers Allowance, extra Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit etc.) which may be available should you receive either PIP or AA. You will need to arrange an appointment as soon as you can as they have lots of people wanting their help and you will probably have to wait a few weeks for the appointment.
The forms can be ordered by telephone from Benefit Enquiry Line and if awarded will be backdated to the day you rang to order the form. The forms are stamped with a date you have to return the form by. It usually has to be returned to them within 6 weeks after you ordered it.
Whilst waiting for an appointment to fill in the form, keep a record of all the things you have difficulty with as they arise, and take this list to your appointment as this will help when filling in the form. If you do not keep a list you may forget to mention some of the problems you experience. Also take along any medical reports from your GP or hospital that you may have and if the adviser thinks they are favourable to your case they will include a copy with your claim form.
You will have to wait for approximately 3 months before you know if you will receive it but the money will be backdated if your claim is successful. If you are refused the benefit you are entitled to ask them to reconsider the decision or to appeal the decision. Again, you will be able to get help to do this by the agency that helped you complete your form and this will take the stress off you or your family member.
Attendance Allowance (AA) is for people over 65 years old. These benefits are not influenced by any income you may have. They are based upon how your problems affect your daily life.
I would recommend you get help to fill in the form from Citizens Advice Bureau, Welfare Rights or Age Concern or a similar agency as they understand how to fill in the form correctly to give the best chance of receiving the benefit. They can also advise on further benefits (Severe Disability Premium, Carers Allowance, extra Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit etc.) which may be available should you receive either PIP or AA. You will need to arrange an appointment as soon as you can as they have lots of people wanting their help and you will probably have to wait a few weeks for the appointment.
The forms can be ordered by telephone from Benefit Enquiry Line and if awarded will be backdated to the day you rang to order the form. The forms are stamped with a date you have to return the form by. It usually has to be returned to them within 6 weeks after you ordered it.
Whilst waiting for an appointment to fill in the form, keep a record of all the things you have difficulty with as they arise, and take this list to your appointment as this will help when filling in the form. If you do not keep a list you may forget to mention some of the problems you experience. Also take along any medical reports from your GP or hospital that you may have and if the adviser thinks they are favourable to your case they will include a copy with your claim form.
You will have to wait for approximately 3 months before you know if you will receive it but the money will be backdated if your claim is successful. If you are refused the benefit you are entitled to ask them to reconsider the decision or to appeal the decision. Again, you will be able to get help to do this by the agency that helped you complete your form and this will take the stress off you or your family member.
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Go for it but get help
Hi Saucepan,
Sounds like your Dad needs help with medication from the community nursing team. You may well need a local authority assessment. I spoke to my Mums GP and he encouraged me to do this. The assessor was pretty good and she filled in the attendance allowance form which was approved The nursing team now come to give medication. (This is a medical need and should be NHS funded)
I would go for it as you actually have nothing to lose. AA is paid from the date you apply so delay can cost. The AA form is pretty straightforward even if you do it yourself.
Hi Saucepan,
Sounds like your Dad needs help with medication from the community nursing team. You may well need a local authority assessment. I spoke to my Mums GP and he encouraged me to do this. The assessor was pretty good and she filled in the attendance allowance form which was approved The nursing team now come to give medication. (This is a medical need and should be NHS funded)
I would go for it as you actually have nothing to lose. AA is paid from the date you apply so delay can cost. The AA form is pretty straightforward even if you do it yourself.
Just to agree with all the people who've said 'Get help.' I applied for it for Mum once and was told by someone at the local welfare rights office, who saw the form I'd filled in, that I'd managed to disqualify her by stressed that she was living and coping alone, rather than listing all the things she wasn't able to do. Welfare rights are going to help me fill in another form, using the right language for the system, and I hope this will be successful.
Continuing Health Care funding is paid by the NHS , not your local authority and is therefore not means tested. It is usually only provided when someone has very complex health problems , such as needing access to a qualified nurse 24 hours a day due to severe breathing difficulties, difficult behavioural problems needing trained qualified staff to manage, issues around administering medication, (not necessarily given if someone is PEG fed for instance though, as this can usually be managed by trained care staff on a day to day basis). It is separate from 24 hour care provided if someone has nursing needs as these can often be met in a nursing home with top up funds from the NHS but will still be means tested for the residential care part.
For CHC funding, a check list is first completed and if this triggers off a possible need for CHC, then a comprehensive assessment will be completed by heath and social care staff and put before a funding panel when it will be decided if the NHS agree to fund the care, and this is usually reviewed every 12 weeks. There is a fast track process for end of life cases.
Hope this makes some sense. I have worked in the sector for years and I still have problems getting my head around some of the processes and decisions!
