Are attendance allowance forms as tricky as DLA and PIP?

sorry forgot to say that I’m pretty sure it was a benefits charity worker that came to the house. They were au fait with filling these forms in and asking all the relevant questions.

I think these charities also do “surgeries” at the local library or doctors surgery. Worth asking at your gp or age concern to see if you can access a similar service.

I am in Scotland, but think help is out there!

@HatFamster We were amazed that both my MIL and FIL both qualified independently for AA. Someone came to their house to complete the forms. They both had health and mobility issues for many years and wish they had claimed years ago.

They were confused themselves as they thought it was some form of carers allowance, i.e. they were each getting an allowance for caring for each other!

obviously that wasn’t the case, it’s per individual to ensure they can pay for help to continue living independently.

so no harm in applying for your dad. What’s the worst thing that can happen?

@HatFamster not sure if pp have mentioned that your dad may be eligible for AA in his own right. Is he still managing to do everything himself? Cooking, cleaning, gardening etc?

About the night time assistance, what would happen if your dad wasn’t there? Would someone else need to stay to help her to the toilet if she needed it? Has she had night falls that mean it’s essential someone keeps an eye on her periodically?

When I applied for my DM I talked about how she has to use a mobility scooter when shopping but also the fact she needs someone to always be with her as she has to have assistance getting on and off the scooter. I also mentioned that due to my DM's poor memory she forgets what she's bought so again needs assistance when outside.

There is the section on activities outside of the home, so if the person like shopping or going to the park but cannot safely go alone and needs someone with them to supervise or guide, you can explain that in that section.

I've just sent one off. I didn't realise mobility outdoors doesn't count. My DGM cannot mobilise independently outdoors due to sight loss so I put a lot of info about that. She can't go anywhere alone.
It isn't so bad indoors because it's familiar and one level with fewer hazards. With they really not look at it?

It hasn’t been my experience with the higher rate.

I applied for AA for my mum about 4 months ago and was very honest on the form. My DM doesn’t need anyone to put her to bed but does have to use a frame to get out of bed at night to go to the toilet and had to have pillows positioned under her hip otherwise she can’t sleep as her hip aches so much. She does wear pads at night due to leakage but can change herself. We recently had to completely redo her bathroom to put in a walk-in shower and comfort high toilet with lots of handrails everywhere as she had had a fall last August which resulted in a broken hip. Her memory is also poor now so I sort all her meds, appointments, finances etc. She eats with us virtually every evening unless I am going out (DM helpfully lives next door).

I was amazed when she was awarded the higher rate and was going to phone up and query it but after speaking to someone on this forum who had a lot of experience with AA claims and re-reading the application form to see if anything I wrote could be ambiguous I decided to leave it. DM has used most of her savings re-doing her bathroom and putting in a stairlift so the extra money is a godsend so she can pay for a cleaner etc which takes some of the load off me. DH and I both work full time so it is such a help for us too and she gets to stay in her own home with family close by.

Once AA is awarded Carers Allowance can be claimed. However if your dad is over state pension age he will not receive it. Strictly, it’s that Carer’s Allowance and State Pension can’t both be paid, and since State Pension is more, you wouldn’t swap it for Carer’s Allowance. But for some who is for some reason not getting a full State Pension, it might be worth looking at Carer’s Allowance. In practice I can’t see this happening but thought I’d mention it.

@HatFamster Needing support when standing would knock on to things like needing assistance for washing hair. In practical terms, would a perching stool be useful?

Yes, that’s what I understand. So if a carer can put them to bed and they’re fine till morning, day rate, but they if they need someone to-be there because they’ll try to get up and then fall, night rate.

HatFamster. Don’t bother mentioning how far she can walk outside. It’s more important to say how she moves around indoors e.g. holds on to furniture and walls to prevent falling. But do say about your dad not being able to leave her. Does he have charge of her medication, ordering, reminding. Once AA is awarded Carers Allowance can be claimed. However if your dad is over state pension age he will not receive it. But if they are Pension Credit he should claim. They will turn him down but there is extra Carers Premium added to Pension Credit. If they’re not on PC already, this premium could bring them into the range.

HatFamster. This may have been mentioned but supervision carries a lot of weight. As does difficulties getting out of a chair, maybe standing fir a short time to feel steady. And any trips/falls.

I really don't think 80% of Attendance Allowance claims are refused. This is certainly not my experience anyway. I have helped with over 250 of them over the past year and I would say no more than 10 declined. Obviously I don't know what percentage of people who complete them themselves get awarded. maybe those stats are for PIP or all disability benefits?

I've just completed this and sent it off for my Dad I said we were completely fine with them contacting his gp but also included recent list of medication, hospital scan results (osteoporosis with 3 fractured vertebrae), wheelchair assessment forms, recent hospital letters re further scans and assessments. I'd read that over 80% of applications are refused so I threw everything in it. It seems from some pp above the threshold isn't as high as my reading had lead me to believe. Best of luck OP.

It's always good to talk about any supervision she needs, so if she is at risk of falls etc and needs supervision around the home or even someone listening out for her when showering if she's at risk.