Attendance Allowance under threat?

its a struggle

Registered User
Mar 10, 2015
66
0
69
South Coast - Hampshire
I do not wish to be alarmist, but I have just been alerted to this 38 Degrees campaign about AA:-


https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/attendence-allowance-abolished?time=1453289896


A single paragraph in the Local Government Finance Settlement published before Christmas sounded the death knell for attendance allowance (AA).
The government is to launch a consultation on abolishing AA for all new claims and handing the money over to local councils to pay for support for older people. :eek:
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
arrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
This would be devastating to so many people. Needs a campaign before it creeps up and there is nothing anyone can do about it!!!
Perhaps AS will have a close look at it????
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Signed and tweeted. A small consolation is that it will not affect current claimants so get your claim in now and don't delay!
 

Pete R

Registered User
Jul 26, 2014
2,036
0
Staffs
It will also mean some people not being able to claim carers allowance and self funders having to find another £82.30/week.:mad:
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,075
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Bury
The paragraph in the consultation document:-

1.4...The Government will also consider giving more responsibility to
councils in England, and to Wales, to support older people with care needs –
including people who, under the current system, would be supported through
Attendance Allowance. This will protect existing claimants, so there will be no cash
losers, and new responsibilities will be matched by the transfer of equivalent
spending power...


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...visional_settlement_consultation_document.pdf
 

tigerqueen

Registered User
Mar 11, 2014
75
0
Essex
Have signed.

What those of us who have worked in local government know is that Local authorities are an easy target for budget cuts (as has been the case for many years). When cuts happen then hard decisions about services have to be made, and adult social care budgets have already been hit, so if the AA budget was given to them, then the likelihood is that it would become harder to access support to allow independence for people, particularly in the early stages of dementia. My own view of course!!
 
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fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
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I agree Tigerqueen and I would also worry greatly that it will just be absorbed into the budgets particularly with the Carers Act and so little provision, and it won't be ring fenced and people who should be assessed won't be and then they will raise the bar on eligibility so all the people who would access AA and use it for low level support to keep their independence for longer will be deprived of this. This would be an accident waiting to happen as people will not be able to access the care they need and there will be tragedy.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,075
0
Bury
"It will also mean some people not being able to claim carers allowance..."

Same with SMI council tax disregard.
 

grove

Registered User
Aug 24, 2010
7,714
0
North Yorkshire
Signed & put onto F Book


My view is A A should still be paid too the people that need it rather than pass it onto your local Council :( , after all how do we all know the money will be spent on front line care etc ? (for the people who need it etc I mean ) If the Government get their own way ?



From Grove x
 

Pickles53

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
2,474
0
Radcliffe on Trent
I agree Tigerqueen and I would also worry greatly that it will just be absorbed into the budgets particularly with the Carers Act and so little provision, and it won't be ring fenced and people who should be assessed won't be and then they will raise the bar on eligibility so all the people who would access AA and use it for low level support to keep their independence for longer will be deprived of this. This would be an accident waiting to happen as people will not be able to access the care they need and there will be tragedy.

Well put fizzle. This would be my fear too. My mum got AA with no problem around the same time a SW told me she didn't meet the criteria for them to get involved in providing a service (which she would in any event have paid for in full).

Ironic really, seems to go completely against the trend towards direct payments, flexibility and enabling people to choose the type of care and support most suited to their individual circumstances.