REALLY IMPORTANT - this is the beginning of the end for Attendance Allowance

la lucia

Registered User
Jul 3, 2011
592
0
I was addressing a factual inaccuracy is that the old are disproportionately targeted by welfare cuts.Welfare support should be on the basis of need not age.

There were very clear reasons why benefits for the elderly, including pensions, which are amongst the lowest in Europe, were universalised. Not least, the administrative costs of means testing.

Prior to the introduction of heating allowance, for instance, the numbers of pensioners dying due to the cold was obscene. It is still shamefully high. One elderly person dies every 7 minutes due to the cold and last winter the numbers were the highest for 15 years.

Bus passes meanwhile, help maintain rural bus services for everyone in areas such as my daughter's village where the once a day bus hangs on by a thread.

But the 'cuts' for people with dementia tend to be hidden in the form of shrinking services and support - all slashed to the bone.

These are false economies because they just result in increased pressure on the NHS.

Meanwhile, Age UK letter signed and 38 degrees petition too ☺
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
There were very clear reasons why benefits for the elderly, including pensions, which are amongst the lowest in Europe, were universalised. Not least, the administrative costs of means testing.

Prior to the introduction of heating allowance, for instance, the numbers of pensioners dying due to the cold was obscene. It is still shamefully high. One elderly person dies every 7 minutes due to the cold and last winter the numbers were the highest for 15 years.

Bus passes meanwhile, help maintain rural bus services for everyone in areas such as my daughter's village where the once a day bus hangs on by a thread.

But the 'cuts' for people with dementia tend to be hidden in the form of shrinking services and support - all slashed to the bone.

These are false economies because they just result in increased pressure on the NHS.

Meanwhile, Age UK letter signed and 38 degrees petition too ☺

Thank you for your support, I couldn't agree more. Free bus passes also keep people more connected and healthier - all false economies and adult care is set to get worse at least AA helps to keep people living 'indpendently' longer
 

notsogooddtr

Registered User
Jul 2, 2011
1,283
0
There were very clear reasons why benefits for the elderly, including pensions, which are amongst the lowest in Europe, were universalised. Not least, the administrative costs of means testing.

Prior to the introduction of heating allowance, for instance, the numbers of pensioners dying due to the cold was obscene. It is still shamefully high. One elderly person dies every 7 minutes due to the cold and last winter the numbers were the highest for 15 years.

Bus passes meanwhile, help maintain rural bus services for everyone in areas such as my daughter's village where the once a day bus hangs on by a thread.

But the 'cuts' for people with dementia tend to be hidden in the form of shrinking services and support - all slashed to the bone.

These are false economies because they just result in increased pressure on the NHS.

Meanwhile, Age UK letter signed and 38 degrees petition too ☺

Child benefit was a universal benefit until very recently,there is now an income cap,this system could be used for pensioners.I have absolutely no issue with benefits being paid to those in need but many pensioners aren't.Please don't misrepresent what I have said;I said I am uncomfortable with AA being hived off to LA's and actually signed the petition weeks ago.But the fact remains that(thank goodness)many pensioners are comfortably off and scarce resources need to be targeted elsewhere
 

notsogooddtr

Registered User
Jul 2, 2011
1,283
0
Many of the oldest did suffer a world war.

Indeed.My Dad was one of them.But benefits in any form are about supporting the financially vulnerable.Many of those will be older people but many people of working age ate also suffering and they have had no protection at all over the past few years.If the money was targeted those need might get more meaning fewer of the tragic deaths from hyothermia.
 

Pickles53

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
2,474
0
Radcliffe on Trent
Indeed.My Dad was one of them.But benefits in any form are about supporting the financially vulnerable.Many of those will be older people but many people of working age ate also suffering and they have had no protection at all over the past few years.If the money was targeted those need might get more meaning fewer of the tragic deaths from hyothermia.

I think that's my concern. The fuel allowance is not high enough for those who really need it, because it is also paid to people like my former neighbour who told me quite proudly he always used his to treat his daughter to an early Christmas present.

To return to the original point, I absolutely agree that AA should continue to be paid to individuals as I'm not convinced there is any way to guarantee it is spent on social care for vulnerable people if it just goes into the general LA funding....which in any case is cut every year. So I have signed the petition.
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
I think that's my concern. The fuel allowance is not high enough for those who really need it, because it is also paid to people like my former neighbour who told me quite proudly he always used his to treat his daughter to an early Christmas present.

To return to the original point, I absolutely agree that AA should continue to be paid to individuals as I'm not convinced there is any way to guarantee it is spent on social care for vulnerable people if it just goes into the general LA funding....which in any case is cut every year. So I have signed the petition.

Re AA
Also the fact my dad was getting his paid into from his council borough but where has nothing to help him with dementia , so they spend in next council borough.
If it went to original he wouldn't benefit at all:confused:
Mum used the money for day care centres.
 

Mal2

Registered User
Oct 14, 2014
2,968
0
Enfield
When my husband was awarded Attendance Allowance, I was sent a letter telling me I was entitled to Carer's Allowance, together with forms the thickness of a book , enclosed for me to complete. So I duly completed and returned same.

Two days later, ( which is quick for a reply, from any of these departments ).
I received a letter advising I was not entitled to Carer's Allowance, if I wanted any information I should phone them. Out of curiosity I did so. I was informed I was not entitled because, Carer's Allowance was £38, and, I received a small pension which was £3 more. Why bother sending the original letter in the first place, when they already knew our details? They must have thought I had nothing better to do. :)

Obviously to them, the general caring for my husband, washing, changing incontinence pads, dressing, general running of the home, and, attempting jobs he used to do, doesn't take up much of my time. ;) :D
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
I think that's my concern. The fuel allowance is not high enough for those who really need it, because it is also paid to people like my former neighbour who told me quite proudly he always used his to treat his daughter to an early Christmas present.

To return to the original point, I absolutely agree that AA should continue to be paid to individuals as I'm not convinced there is any way to guarantee it is spent on social care for vulnerable people if it just goes into the general LA funding....which in any case is cut every year. So I have signed the petition.

They worked out that it would cost more to administer a means testing of the fuel allowance than it would to pay it to everyone - as long as it stops the deaths of those who most need to be able to heat then I personally would rather everyone had it than keep paying administrators to means test such a small amount.

There are many many elderly and vulnerable people who still cannot afford to eat and heat and pay carers to help them to do basics like shopping. Many many many of them. There are also many elderly people who have had their life savings and assets sucked back into the system to pay inflated rates in care homes to subsidise Local Authorities. Older people have paid more than their dues in many many ways, they deserve better.

I could comment on younger working age families but I'm not going to because this isn't a political argument it is quite simply trying to make people aware that Attendance Allowance (for everyone) will be absorbed into the LA budgets never to be seen again - I don't want to see that happen in the name of ALL older people I don't want to see it happen.
 

Mal2

Registered User
Oct 14, 2014
2,968
0
Enfield
Could everyone sign this campaign letter to try to prevent the Government transferring the responsibility for Attendance Allowance to local councils – this will mean that older people will be unable to decide how to spend the money on the things they need most, for many it will make the difference between being able to live at home or having to go into a care home and I believe it will signal the end of the allowance. Once again older people are the target of money saving cuts – it doesn't matter which government is in power, older people are considered a soft target. This time they are doing it in a two step process because you can be sure that cash strapped local authorities will snatch away this money as soon as they can and absorb it into other budgets. There are only a few days left to sign so please could you do this today.

https://campaigns.ageuk.org.uk/ea-a...ampaign.id=55006&ea.tracking.id=Signourletter

Signed.
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
Big thank you to everyone who has signed. Please share the information and the letter if you get a chance before the end of the week
 

grove

Registered User
Aug 24, 2010
7,714
0
North Yorkshire
Have signed...................

Fizzie Both Age UK & the other Petition & have also *Shared* both with friends :)


Hope this helps & THANK YOU :) Fizzie for starting this Thread & fully agree A A should be Via Central Govt ! ! !


Grove x
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
Fizzie Both Age UK & the other Petition & have also *Shared* both with friends :)


Hope this helps & THANK YOU :) Fizzie for starting this Thread & fully agree A A should be Via Central Govt ! ! !


Grove x

Thank you as always xx