Attendance Allowance

[yorkie46]

Can anyone advise?
My husband has been receiving attendance allowance at the lower rate since 2014. This was many years before he was diagnosed with dementia. Over the years he has deteriorated and his needs have increased considerably. I have never contacted DWP in all this time. I have now been advised that he could be eligible for the higher rate but the changes to his needs are too many to deal with on the phone. I'm worried that If I just complete and send new forms it will be treated as a new claim and could cause confusion.

 

[nae sporran]

When my partner stepped up from lower rate to higher rate attendance allowance, we got help from a local debt and benefit advisory service. AgeUK helped with POA forms too, so they might be worth asking for a bit of guidance. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/services/age-uk-advice-line/.

Good luck

 

[nitram]

There used to be a simplified form to apply for a change to higher rate, it was only available on application.
If you ring in and ask you will either gat this or the standard form, in both cases the application date will be back dated to the date of your call, maximum backdate 6 weeks.

 

[yorkie46]

Thanks @nae sporran and @nitram .
I tried to phone today but in a queue for 30 minutes so have up. Will try again next week.
I've been told someone from Citizen's Advice will help me with it. I did the first one myself. I don't want to do 32 pages if it's not necessary!

 

[She-Luna]

I applied for the higher rate for Mum when she went into care. They needed to see my PoA, but it was fairly straightforward. The care home filled in all the specific details, if you can get help with it that's great but it's not too onerous otherwise. However, as Mum already receives the lower rate, she's not eligible for the higher until 6 months after the application is approved (June in our case).

 

[nitram]

she's not eligible for the higher until 6 months after the application is approved

If the application shows that the change in needs has existed for at least 6 months eligibility could be immediate.

 

[Jan L]

As previously mentioned AgeUK will assist with this request. They came to help me when I applied on behalf of my Husband, following his diagnosis in 2015, with his needs at that point he qualified for the full benefit, such was his condition by the time I persuaded him to go to the Doctor.

 

[yorkie46]

Just an update. I have now received very welcome help from someone at Citizen's Advice. She contacted DWP, had the necessary forms sent to me. Friday we talked through the forms and what information she needed. She is going to complete the forms for me and my husband just had to sign as it was him who signed the original forms. She apparently has a great deal of experience in doing this. At the moment I'm grabbing any help I can get. I've now had someone come to try to do exercises with him to improve his mobility but I'm not holding my breath. She was very honest and said she didn't know how much would be achieved. She thinks like me that he has the strength in his legs when non weight bearing but as soon as he stand his legs don't seem to work properly. She feels it's most likely the progression of the dementia. I just dread if he goes off his legs because if he does I don't think he can stay at home. Oh and we have another chest infection, the second since he came home from hospital after pneumonia at the end of February!

 

[RosettaT]

Hi Yorkie46, My OH came home from hospital, immobile and unable to sit up by himself. The community physios weren't interested and told me, as the hospital physios did that he would never walk.
I didn't believe them, I just knew he could.
Fortunately he could afford a private physio and she has worked wonders with him. It took 2 months of exercise to strengthen his muscles and eventually he was walking with a frame. He requires an orthotic boot as the ligaments, tendons and muscles in his left leg have shortened preventing his heel from touching the ground.
He now needs two to walk with him as he has ulnar nerve damage in both arms and can't hold his frame any more.
I wish you both well and hope you are as fortunate as we were. I have my fingers crossed for you.