Sorry, posted in wrong place, please delete. Confused about application

Poppops

Hi

I'm looking for some advice with regard to benefits for my elderly father. I've never claimed myself and am finding the various sources of guidance extremely confusing.

My father is 76 and is diabetic and has been for many years. He is also on medication for high blood pressure and has a heart murmur.

He lives with my mother and their work pensions are such that they receive, from memory, around £5 per week HB and £7 per week CT benefit (maybe the other way round).

Dad has dimentia which is getting progressively worse of course. For the last 12 months he has developed horrific ulcers on his legs and feet and as the doctors couldn't find a pulse, he is going to have the arteries replaced in his legs (too far gone for stents).

He is currently in hospital as one of the ulcers looks dangerously close to developing gangrene. While visiting, I was talking to one of the nurses and she told me that he should claim Attendance Allowance, if only because he wouldn't eat, take his medication and wanders through night so now needs 24 hours supervision. My mother is also 76 and it would be great if they could afford for someone to come in and help so she could get a break whilst I am at work.

Looking through the guidance it would appear that he has a good case. However when I put his details into entitled to, it looks as though if he were awarded attendance allowance at the higher rate he would also receive pension credit and full HB and CT benefit.

Do we wait for the decision on attendance allowance before applying for those, or are they magically awarded also? :rotfl:

gorgeousgeorge

I would put in a claim for pension credit now.
I'm pretty sure that Attendance Allowance doesn't affect any other benefits.