My elderly dad

comeandgo

Could I ask for some advice please? My father is now requiring help in his day to day life with getting in and out of bed, moving around, toilet and washing. Luckily he can still use the remote control. My mum is helping him with others coming in past to stay with him while she does shopping etc.
is there any benefits they may be entitled to? They are both pensioners but I know my mum is not entitled to pension in her own right as she never made enough to pay NI contributions. Savings less than £10k. Thank you.

dandelionclock30

Your dad may be eligable for attendance allowance and your Mum for carers allowance. Look on here https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/eligibility.
Also social services can do a home assessment and give help with things like grab bars and raised toilet seats etc and other caring support. It would be worth giving your local adult area team a ring and asking them to assess your Dad.

Mr_Lawnmower

Assuming your Dad is over state pension age, it sounds as if he can claim Attendance Allowance. If that claim succeeds, his wife can claim Carer's Allowance.

It's worth getting help with the Attendance Allowance claim, as the claim is more likely to succeed if the form is filled in properly and is supported by evidence.

comeandgo

Many thanks for the information. He left the hospital with no information on help available. They stay in a house with bedroom and toilet upstairs but can't get up to them so if help in getting stair lift thingy and handle grabs that would be ideal. We are looking at a raised bed for him but family will pay for it.

margaretclare

Luckily he can still use the remote control.

Please explain - which remote control? The one that raises and lowers him in/out of bath, in/out of bed?

help4help2013

if he lives in a council property or a housing association property ask him to get in touch with them as they might be able to make some adoptions for him for free this does include stair lifts too

SandraScarlett

Hi, as well as the advice given by others, if your Dad has difficulties, then a bath lift would be a great help. These are provided free of charge.


Also, if you contact Crossroads Care in your area, they are excellent at giving advice as to the various benefits. They recently allocated me 6 hours care every 4 weeks, at £3.75 per hour, plus 6 hours free, so £22.50 every 4 weeks for 12 hours care.


I use mine so that I have 2 visits every week, of 1 and a half hours each time, to give my husband a bath (he has Alzheimer's) and they checked we were getting all the help and benefits we could.


Does your Mum get a pension based on your Dad's contributions? I believe the figure is 60% of the standard State Retirement Pension.


I hope this helps and I wish you and your family well.


xx

pmlindyloo

Plus, check if your mum and dad are entitled to Pension Credit>

https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator

comeandgo

The remote control is the tv one! Oh and the electric chair that a kind neighbour gave him. He will have to sell his car now which will increase their savings but will look at all the suggestions. They live in a council house so will get onto council too. Thanks to all.

Indie_Kid

State pension and carers allowance are overlapping benefits. Your mum can't claim both. She'll get an underlying entitlement to carers allowance, which means if she's on income based benefits, she'll get a carers premium added.

Morglin

OT's via your local social services can do assessments on mum (as carer) and dad, and see what equipment and support they require.

Lin