What financial help could I get for my mum?

[SeasonsChange1]

I am looking into what financial support I can get for my mum (age 71). I had originally thought Attendance allowance but it says nots not for mobility needs.

Things she can no longer do successfully for herself due to bad arthritis, bad back and poorer mobility after frozen shoulder:
-put on her own foot supports for corns, or her socks
-put on her shoes
-sort her bra straps, even when swivelled
-Get certain clothes on and off without assistance
-do her eye drops and ear drops
-open food tins and packages (she’s been using aids for a few years but is now finding these difficult)
-basic cleaning around the home that is not at waist height
-help her with any electric correspondence e.g. filing out forms, sending e-consults to the gp etc

I’m sure there are others I cannot think of, but I’m doing these things for her daily and am increasingly finding it a strain.

She hasn’t got any spare money to pay for any help herself so I’m looking for what I could apply for/help her apply for.

[Chewbecca]

That is what attendance allowance is for (except the cleaning). It’s for personal care, which is what you describe, not mobility.

[user47874274282]

Yes the things you mentioned are absolutely what Attendance Allowance is for. When I applied for my mum I had a look online as some medical condition charities have some quite good advice sheets about filling in the AA form, they can be useful even if the person does not have the condition that the charity is focussed on.

If she has moderate sight or hearing problems, mention these too. Even if the problem is mitigated by something (e.g. person has difficulty with getting in the bath, but bath rails have been installed and person now finds it a bit easier) it's relevant.

IIRC if you phone to request the AA form it's date stamped before being sent out to you so if she's eligible they will backdate the payment to the date on the form. Which may be better than you doing it online - it is a long form and you may need several goes to get it all done.

Good luck!

[Hanlonsamazer]

If she has adaptations to her house (bathroom and one other room), you can get a reduction in council tax. You could ask for an occupational therapist referral to kick that stuff off.

[Jackydaytona]

Get a disabled badge
Then apply for AA

[EmmaEmerald]

Attendance Allowance

there are some govt pages that make it look as if it's about other stuff but it covers everything you said. I got it for mum when her list about half the list you've given here.

[VicSynix]

If you need help filling it out, try: Age UK (they sometimes have local volunteers who can assist); Citizens Advice; or see if her surgery has any Social Prescribers who would be able to help.

The way to approach it to think of everything you do for her which relate to her care - if you weren't there, she'd have to pay someone else to do it.

[SeasonsChange1]

@Hanlonsamazer

If she has adaptations to her house (bathroom and one other room), you can get a reduction in council tax. You could ask for an occupational therapist referral to kick that stuff off.

She has rails on the stairs, in the shower, around the toilets and outside the front door. Would this count as more than one adaption as it’s all rails? She also had to have the bath replaced for a shower as she couldn’t climb over the bath into the shower.

[thesandwich]

Sounds like she certainly eligible for aa. Get help with the forms from age uk, cab or carers uk. You can order printed copied which will be date stamped and backdated to that point.

[caringcarer]

@SeasonsChange1

She has rails on the stairs, in the shower, around the toilets and outside the front door. Would this count as more than one adaption as it’s all rails? She also had to have the bath replaced for a shower as she couldn’t climb over the bath into the shower.

I think that would qualify her for council tax reduction.