Attendance Allowance advice.

Mojisola

Just re-read the first post and see that he is ex-services. They may find that SSAFA will be very helpful in getting their benefits sorted out for them - https://www.ssafa.org.uk/how-we-help/

xylophone

They can't get around easily, enjoy poor health and are on a low income, have no savings and a vehicle which seems unlikely to pass the next MOT- travelling 300 miles to a remote location 300 miles away hardly seems feasible?

They say they want to keep the property in the family - are their non-resident and apparently virtually non-communicating children interested in the place or would they promptly sell it if they inherited? I take it that neither they nor any of the other relations want to buy it from the old couple now?

Keeping it seems utterly pointless if the circumstances are as described?

bigmondy

Sorry - they arent driving up to the house to do the work. They are enlisting the help of local relatives and friends to get it habitable. I am not sure of the extent of the work that they envisage however I will ask tonight and reiterate the advice from here.

It was the old-boys Grandfather that built the house and his Mum planted a tree in the garden. I am not sure of the terms of the will - but I just dont see him wanting to sell it. I suppose I understand his reasoning.

ps: Those advising "get help" to fill out the forms - is it not something I can help them with when I take the form over tonight?

Thanks again everyone.

xylophone

to get it habitable

For whom? They don't seem in a position to use it themselves?

Can it be rented out to give them an income?

They might get help with the AA form from Age UK? With regard to your helping them to fill in the form, opinion on these boards seems to be that there is a certain knack to answering the questions.

margaretclare

xylophone wrote: »

For whom? They don't seem in a position to use it themselves?

Can it be rented out to give them an income?

They might get help with the AA form from Age UK? With regard to your helping them to fill in the form, opinion on these boards seems to be that there is a certain knack to answering the questions.

Yes, there is. When DH applied he went to our local DIAL (Disability Information and Advice Line) and someone there filled it in for him. Even though he's a literate, articulate and intelligent guy, he still thought he wouldn't have had a chance doing it himself.

If they both have these disabilities they should each apply.

bigmondy

margaretclare wrote: »

Yes, there is. When DH applied he went to our local DIAL (Disability Information and Advice Line) and someone there filled it in for him. Even though he's a literate, articulate and intelligent guy, he still thought he wouldn't have had a chance doing it himself.

If they both have these disabilities they should each apply.

Heading round just now - will have a bash with them and advise them of this.

Many thanks one and all.

bigmondy

Turns out the old woman has a few issues - osteporosis, crushed vertebrae and terminal crohn's disease - Im not sure what the last one is but it certainly sounds bad and is affecting her constantly.

Only problem filling in the form - I am a bit of a novice - was it took 3 hours although I suspected I would regret offering to help it was good to learn what goes in to filling these things in.

We had difficulty completing the questions about help walking around indoors as she isnt using aids but often needs the old boy to help her so we just left the "aids" section blank.

She got very defensive about the "how long can you be left alone" bit and she was being stubborn as the old boy was insisting she needed constant attention. Awkward (I was thinking) but it meant I didnt push the old boy when it came to question 48 - statement from carer - we left it blank as teh form says you can do that. Not sure if it weakens their application - but I didnt want to start world war 3 .

Will send it of later today.

Mojisola

bigmondy wrote: »

Turns out the old woman has a few issues - osteporosis, crushed vertebrae and terminal crohn's disease - Im not sure what the last one is but it certainly sounds bad and is affecting her constantly.

Only problem filling in the form - I am a bit of a novice - was it took 3 hours although I suspected I would regret offering to help it was good to learn what goes in to filling these things in.

We had difficulty completing the questions about help walking around indoors as she isnt using aids but often needs the old boy to help her so we just left the "aids" section blank.

She got very defensive about the "how long can you be left alone" bit and she was being stubborn as the old boy was insisting she needed constant attention. Awkward (I was thinking) but it meant I didnt push the old boy when it came to question 48 - statement from carer - we left it blank as teh form says you can do that. Not sure if it weakens their application - but I didnt want to start world war 3 .

Will send it of later today.

As a novice form-filler, be prepared to have the claim rejected. If it is, do get experienced help to fill in the next lot.

I was made very aware of this when we had help from the council's Welfare Officers to fill in our forms. It wasn't that they answered the questions in order to get the benefit but they knew the right questions to ask my parents to get out of them exactly how much help they needed. We wouldn't have put down half the information that they did.

margaretclare

bigmondy wrote: »

Turns out the old woman has a few issues - osteporosis, crushed vertebrae and terminal crohn's disease - Im not sure what the last one is but it certainly sounds bad and is affecting her constantly.

Only problem filling in the form - I am a bit of a novice - was it took 3 hours although I suspected I would regret offering to help it was good to learn what goes in to filling these things in.

We had difficulty completing the questions about help walking around indoors as she isnt using aids but often needs the old boy to help her so we just left the "aids" section blank.

She got very defensive about the "how long can you be left alone" bit and she was being stubborn as the old boy was insisting she needed constant attention. Awkward (I was thinking) but it meant I didnt push the old boy when it came to question 48 - statement from carer - we left it blank as teh form says you can do that. Not sure if it weakens their application - but I didnt want to start world war 3 .

Will send it of later today.

Osteoporosis - even if she doesn't need 'aids' in the sense of Zimmer etc she will often need help to walk because of her crumbling spine. And difficulty in moving, standing up, sitting down, lying down, turning over in bed etc. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Osteoporosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Crohn's disease is a disease of the intestines. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/crohns-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx

HTH

It's an extremely unpleasant thing to have! More laundry needed, probably?

bigmondy

Thanks guys. I will send it off - there was a good letter from the Consultant about the Crohns so I will include that in the application.

Yes margaretclare - all these issues are on the form - and re the crohns that is what I had gleaned - laundry issues and not being able to go anywhere that meant she didnt have immediate access to a convenience. I wasnt sure if that would be a significant factor in whether or not they got the AA awarded though. Putting the 2 conditions together though - oh dear - I also feel sorry for the old-boy - he has quite a job and his missus perhaps doesnt recognise it.