Dementia patients seek more aid

[JPG1]

As featured on BBC news on Radio this morning:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7915389.stm

 

[Margarita]

I was surprised to hear that on the BBC news this morning on the TV, also the The chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, Neil Hunt taking on the news about it .

Very uplifting that it was aired on the National TV News

And that's what worries the Alzheimer's Society the most. The dementia charity says the current system of paying for care for people with dementia is a "confusing mess".

It warns that many people are unaware of the benefits they are entitled to and the system of means-testing for social care leads to thousands of people struggling to access the care they need.

Benefits available

There are three main types of benefits you can claim if you suffer from dementia:

* Attendance allowance: You have to be over the age of 65, it's not means-tested and you could get up to £67.
* Disability living allowance: You qualify if you are under the age of 65 - it too is not means tested and you could get up to £67.
* Money for carers: For this, you have to be caring for someone with dementia for more than 35 hours a week and you could receive up to just over £50.

According to the current rules, social care means help with tasks such as washing, cooking or using the toilet and is not paid for by the government unless you qualify.

It's not the same as health care, which could involved administering medicine and is paid for by the NHS.


The Alzheimer's Society calls this an artificial divide and carers such as Susan Doggett believe this is unfair.

and carers such as Susan Doggett believe this is unfair

Add me in that also in saying that its unfair !

 

[Margarita]

* Money for carers: For this, you have to be caring for someone with dementia for more than 35 hours a week and you could receive up to just over £50.

They should of also added next to it , that its mean tested .

No wonder there so much confusing mess going on .

They tell you what is not mean tested, but not what is mean tested !

 

[jenniferpa]

Yes I saw that Maggie - as you say, no wonder it's such a mess.

 

[JPG1]

Carer's Allowance

This may be useful for anyone wanting to know more about Carer's Allowance:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/CarersAllowance/DG_10012522

Carer's Allowance is not affected by any savings you may have, but it does have an effect on any other benefits (including pension, which for a very strange reason is classed as a 'benefit') that the person claiming it may receive. And you can't claim Carer's Allowance if you are earning more than £95 a week, after 'expenses' - as explained in the eligibility section.

But it isn't means tested as such, in the normal meaning of means-tested benefits.