Don't worry, I filled it all in for OH. How would they know who did? If it hasn't been six months already, they'll just wait for that date before they pay. That's what happened when we applied for the higher rate when he had the lower rate already.
That's a good idea Kevin. I will speak to the GP, so we are in accord about a date for the "severe mental impairment", and then contact the council. It's pretty damning that they don't have a form for it on their website I think, they are definitely trying to keep it under the radar. I will say my OH has SMI, since blah blah... When the reply saying he must be in receipt of AA, I will then say why? He fulfils the legislative requirement of being SMI, which the doctor will confirm, and entitled.... whether he or we choose to claim it or not should be entirely up to us.
Thank you. I must admit I feel in quite a combative mood about it!
Everyone keeps mentioning AA, you only get this aged 65 or over, DLA middle rate or high rate are qualifying benefits too. We don't get AA (too young) but we do get middle rate DLA.
Don't you have the letter from the consultant at the memory clinic to your doctor giving the diagnosis, I used that to get the DLA, mobility allowance and council tax backdated to that date. If the diagnosis was made by the GP then that would be the date, possibly an email to your doctors practice manager asking for the date of the appointment (if you can remember roughly when it was) would do rather than taking up the doctors time.
K
"I just listen out that he is ok getting up to the loo several times, gets back to bed ok, and doesnt have the blinding light on."
Correctly phrased that should obtain the higher rate.
I've now received the application forms from Cardiff Council to claim council tax discount. Seems to me the rules about "confirmation of entitlement to one of the following benefits" are set in stone. I don't think I will take them on for the sake of £8 pw, too much hassle. So I will wait until the AA is sorted out.
Having said that, the Age Connect guy understood my point, why should one have to claim a benefit in order to get the discount? He agreed that the "mere" fact of having severe mental impairment is the whole point. But as I say, I don't think it's worth getting into a major exchange of letters, appealing, and all the rest of it.