Turned down for Attendance Allowance for MIL - what now???

[CocktailQueen]

Applied a year ago for AA for MIL who's 90, lives by herself, has dementia. She has meals on wheels every day and a carer three times a week. She's physically well. Was turned down a year ago.

Social services got involved with MIL and said they would re-apply for AA. Eight months later, they haven't done it, but have lied about it. So dh did it. Got a call from DWP yesterday to say MIL has been turned down again - he was told: 'you only qualify for AA if you cannot be left on your own at all, if you need someone with you all the time'. That's not right, is it???

MIL has not done housework for 5+ years. She has not washed or bathed for years. She has not washed her clothes for 2 years. She has not cooked for a year. She does not remember to take medication. She has no idea what date it is.

Shouldn't she qualify for AA? What can we do now?? Any advice would be great.

I'm sorry I don't know much about it but found this website...

www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/moneyandlegal/disabilitybenefits/Pages/AttendanceAllowance.aspx

My dad had middle rate, then later upped to higher rate attendance allowance. A specialist CAB advisor helped him fill in what he needed to say on the forms each time.

My mum was awarded AA at the lower rate about 18 months ago following a stroke. We got our local Age UK branch to advise on the wording of the form and they were really helpful. They might offer similar in your area?

My dad was initially turned down for AA so we contacted Age Concern and they helped him with the application form. Would recommend you contact them.

Get eg Age concern to help you appeal and gather all the necessary evidence. Someone with experience of the forms needs to show how she does fit the criteria.

Good grief, it's just appalling isn't it? All about how well you can fill in the forms rather than what genuine assistance an individual needs

Where I work anyone who receives a service from the council (home care etc) is entitled to help from the welfare benefits team/appeals officer to assist in claiming aa etc. Higher rate aa is for people over 65 who need care day and night and lower rate for people who need care during the day.

I thought you got DLA if you started claiming under 65 and AA over 65. That's what the CAB told us.

Definitely get age UK involved. They Filled out the form with my DM and she was awarded middle rate, which was fair. They were good at pushing her for honesty because a lot of older people play down how
bad things are. So they asked if she had problems getting out of bed, she answered well not really, what can you expect at my age, etc. age uk guy asked what do you mean by that, do you ever find it difficult. Turned out it was taking up to two hours for her to get up without help (I live abroad). Age uk said you could answer yes to a question if it was ever the case, not necessarily always the case. I think dwp & ss are the worst people to be advising you here, of course they'll make it difficult. Best of luck with the new application.

Oops yes, it was lower rate my mum got, not middle rate.
She had a chair lift installed, an emergency button (which saved her life several times), and a cared three times a day. The AA also paid for taxis to doctors etc.