Mobility support for newly disabled MIL?

[PlantDoctor]

Since the start of the year, my MIL has been unable to walk more than a few metres due to what has now been found to be multiple fractures in her back. Initially Dr asked if she'd been hit by a car, but now believes they are caused by disease. I would guess her osteoporosis, but they are still investigating (VERY slow process, I feel very frustrated on her behalf).

Anyway, she has been almost housebound (other than Dr appointments really) all these months as she can't walk anywhere. Even parking up and going into a coffee shop proved too much. So we were wondering about hiring her a wheelchair, but she's more keen to get a mobility scooter so she doesn't have to rely on us being available to push her (no other family nearby, we work and have a toddler so would only be free at weekends).

She has very limited money. Does own her own house, but had to give up her job after furlough ended as just couldn't do it with her issues. (she's also 71, so retired really). She is on state pension and pension credit.

My BIL is convinced she should be able to access funding to help pay for a mobility scooter. I know this was the case in the past, but is it still the case? If so, how do we go about it? Do we need some sort of form from her Dr? What is the funding called? I've tried googling, but it just tells you what to do if you already get certain disability benefits that seem to have been discontinued for new applicants.

We are in England. Does anyone know of any government help available for this? Thanks!

You need to apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). If you get an award you can use the funds for a scooter.

You can apply for a blue badge without PIP from the local authority but it’s easier if you already have the PIP award.

have a look on ebay- you can also hire mobility scooters

Thanks for your reply. The government page on PIP says that she probably isn't eligible as she's over state pension age.

"If you’ve reached State Pension age
You can get PIP if you:

were already getting PIP before you reached State Pension age and your condition has not changed
have been claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and you’ve had a letter inviting you to apply for PIP
You may get PIP if you previously got it and you were still entitled to it within the last year.

If you cannot get PIP, you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead."

But she doesn't really need attendance allowance, just the mobility side of things.

Ok, didn’t realise that. What form does attendance allowance take? If it’s like PIP it’s a payment that you can use in the way that’s most useful - in this case to hire/buy a scooter.

The criteria for AA is 'your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety.' Care would include mobility needs. Unfortunately, attendance allowance doesn't let you access the motability scheme, which allows the rental of a scooter, but she could use the money to rent one.

You can ask the local authority Social work Dept for a needs assessment. Ideally an Occupational Therapist will assess MIL and advise about what wheelchairs (including electric ones for use outdoors)or scooters would be suitable. You do have to be reasonably fit to use a mobility scooter,they're potentially dangerous to users and pedestrians. NHS can lend wheelchairs but MIL won't get any government aid towards a scooter as she is over retirement age. I think your BIL may have been thinking about the various mobility allowances and notability scheme that are only available to those who claim before they retire. If MIL can only walk a few metres,this must be giving her trouble in the house even although she has her own coping techniques. It would be worth applying for Attendance Allowance. It's for people over pension age who have difficulties and not just people who actually need an attendant.

May be worth checking with Mobility Trust:

mobilitytrust.org.uk/

We bought a mobility scooter for my dad secondhand from the local free ads. Think it cost around £180. In perfect condition

She needs to claim for attendance allowance, it's to help to pay for any further sulport for mobility or care, it would entitle anyone looking after her for 20 hours per week to carer's credit, or carers allowance for 35 hours weekly. It might be easier once she has a diagnosis though. In the meantime your occupational health dept at social services should be able to help.

Attendance Allowance is for assistance with daily life. Not necessarily carers.

Thanks everyone for your information and advice. It's such a tricky one to navigate with no experience, so I am very grateful to you all.

We have attendance allowance for my dad who has spinal fractures, definitely look into that. You can use the money as you please, it does not have to be for a carer. Have you found out why she has spinal fractures? Without wanting to worry you please get this investigated. My dad’s were caused by myeloma which is a rare cancer not understood by many GP’s. This is now under control and he is much better.

Attendance allowance can be used for anything she likes, including funding a scooter. If she is given attendance allowance someone else can claim carers allowance (if they are earning under a certain amount, you need to google this) which can also help in many ways.

Get on to your local council, she needs an assessment of needs. An OT will do an assessment of where she lives. There is also a disability grant she might be able to able for.

Age Uk will help you with the AA application. I went to them when applying for aunt and their help was invaluable. For some questions I'd be thinking well she does find that difficult but she's 85 so it's expected, the Age UK would talk me through it and of course if it's difficult it's difficult so we included it. The award came through very quickly.

I did go back to thank them, the lady who helped me was with someone else so I tried to just leave a message but the receptionist said please wait so I did and I'm so glad I did. She was so thrilled it had worked out, I'm imagining alot of people don't let them know.

@Shieldingending

We have attendance allowance for my dad who has spinal fractures, definitely look into that. You can use the money as you please, it does not have to be for a carer. Have you found out why she has spinal fractures? Without wanting to worry you please get this investigated. My dad’s were caused by myeloma which is a rare cancer not understood by many GP’s. This is now under control and he is much better.

Glad your dad is doing better. Yes, it's currently under investigation. They only just decided it was pathological rather than accidental, but every appointment is taking 2+ months to have then get results back for. Very frustrating. She doesn't push hard enough. I've offered to help her with speaking to them but it's all telephone appointments and she says they never give her a time, so I'm not usually around. I really want DH/me to sit down with her and her Dr as she gets flustered and forgets to ask things.

Just learned recently her brother has a degenerative spine condition so could be related to that. But yes, waiting on further investigations again at the moment.

I think we need to look at the attendance allowance. I wonder if she'd be eligible as she doesn't need help with dressing/eating other than we do her shopping for her. We also do things like vacuuming and gardening, but she does the rest (although I think she struggles and just doesn't want to ask for more help).

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

Get on to your local council, she needs an assessment of needs. An OT will do an assessment of where she lives. There is also a disability grant she might be able to able for.

Thank you. She does need this.

Ask for a referral to Wheelchair Services from her GP, she could have a folding electric wheelchair. That way she could go out on her own & the wheelchair would fold to go in a car boot if needed.

@PlantDoctor

I think we need to look at the attendance allowance. I wonder if she'd be eligible as she doesn't need help with dressing/eating other than we do her shopping for her. We also do things like vacuuming and gardening, but she does the rest (although I think she struggles and just doesn't want to ask for more help).

Those are the sort of questions that Age Uk will advise you on. It would be worth making an appointment with a local office if there is one. They are very helpful.

I would reach out to age uk as they are very good in sorting things like this out and would be able to tell your MIL any extra benefits she is entitled to and also may be able to put her intouch with a charity that may be able to help with a mobility scooter

@Nat6999

Ask for a referral to Wheelchair Services from her GP, she could have a folding electric wheelchair. That way she could go out on her own & the wheelchair would fold to go in a car boot if needed.

Wheelchair services only provide an electric wheelchair if the person needs an electric wheelchair in the house. If she can walk around the house then she won’t qualify for an electric one. They don’t supply folding ones for out the house. All she would get us a bulky basic one that someone has to push.

There is no magic source of money op. Apply for AA and then look at a cheap mobility scooter. They are far cheaper than electric wheelchairs and often available second hand