Attendance Allowance - can you get this without appointing someone on form?

[hiyadon]

Does anyone have any experience with Attendance Allowance?
Neighbour is currently on state pension only.
Health deteriorating (albeit slowly) and mentioned me being named on Allowance claim form as I get them odd bits of shopping and give the odd lift.
I can't commit to anything further as I have my own eldery parents/children/work.

Do you have to appoint someone to be 'help' or do the tax office pay the person the money and they spend it as they need to i.e. cleaners, gardeners, amendments to the house, petrol for any lifts etc.

As far as I'm aware attendance allowance is paid to the person claiming, not the carer/helper. Carers allowance is for the carer, but you have to do a minimum of 35 hours a week to claim it. I don't know if you have to name someone on the attendance allowance form or not. Sorry.

No you don't have to name anyone on the AA form. You don't have to have anyone helping you at all, you just have to have the NEED for help. E.g. you might struggle with personal care, no one helps you but you take an hour to get dressed, wash with a flannel because you can't use the bath or shower etc.

Nobody needs to bee nominated, as it is paid to the person needing help.
My mother used hers to pay for a cleaner and gardener.
It's paid to make someone's life easier.

I have just successfully claimed for my dad...he's 92. I put me on the form as I do help and supervise him but it's given on the help that you need not what your getting.

Filling one in at the moment for my mum. She will just be using you as an example of the sort of help she needs at the moment. She has to give your details and technically they may phone you to check it is true that you occasionally help, but it is not committing you to helping her in any way.

I think what your neighbour is asking is if she can name you on the form as her informal carer. There's a section on the form that asks because the DWP may try to get more information about your neighbour and may contact you about this.
There's no issue really and I would say yes if you do help her every now and again.

The claims are coming through very quickly

I phoned for the forms on 29th November

Filled it in and sent it back on 8th January (took longer as dad went into hospital for 2 weeks over Christmas)

Phone call from them on 17th January to get POA details from me and chat about claim.

Back pay into dad's account on 22nd January (back to date of phonecall) and now on 4 weekly payments so good luck!