Disability Benefit stopped?

seven-day-weekend

I have a friend who is in her late sixties, has been disabled for many years, is mainly bedridden but can use an electric wheelchair indoors, and lives in sheltered housing. If she goes out she has to use a specially adapted taxi called a Barbara Bus. http://www.websfor.com/barbarabus/home/home.asp?A32

She has always paid for her care out of disability allowances, she needs someone to do cooking, housework and shopping, as well as helping her with washing/dressing.

She has been told that from April 2016, she is going to be £200 per week worse off as her allowance is being changed. :eek:

I have asked her why this is, so that I can help her if I can, but apart from making vague noises about 'the Government', she does not appear to know why.

I know it's a long shot asking on here, as no-one knows her circumstances, but has anyone any idea about why she would lose so much money when she is so disabled? She will not be able to pay for the care she needs,

Helpful comments please, not just those running down the Government! I would like to be able to help her if I can.

(We are only in contact via phone/email as she lives a good way away).

Joey-Jojo

Have they asked her to go on PIP? She continue to get DLA until the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) writes to tell her about when it will end.

The letter will invite her to apply for a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and tell her what to do next.

DLA is ending for people who were born after 8 April 1948 and are 16 or over. Her DLA should continue if she was born on or before 8 April 1948. She not then entitled to claim PIP if she born around then.

Londonsu

That does seem a lot of money, but you say its being changed not stopped, it may mean that a another benefit will replace it and she will have to apply or be assessed for that.


If she is in her late 60s I would assume that she already gets her state pension/pension credit, again that's another reason where means tested benefits would stop if someone gets a pension that replaces some means tested benefits.


I would find out exactly the type of benefits she gets, her needs and her income and contact Age UK who have brilliant benefit advisors, she can do this or you can on her behalf


crossed posts with joey jo jo

seven-day-weekend

Joey-Jojo wrote: »

Have they asked her to go on PIP? She continue to get DLA until the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) writes to tell her about when it will end.

The letter will invite her to apply for a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and tell her what to do next.

DLA is ending for people who were born after 8 April 1948 and are 16 or over. Her DLA should continue if she was born on or before 8 April 1948. She not then entitled to claim PIP if she born around then.

Thank you for your reply, she has just turned 69, so born in 1946.

I don't know whether she is going onto PIP, as I say she does not appear to know herself what the situation is.

However....I have been doing further research and believe it could be due to the Benefits cap?

seven-day-weekend

Londonsu wrote: »

That does seem a lot of money, but you say its being changed not stopped, it may mean that a another benefit will replace it and she will have to apply or be assessed for that.


If she is in her late 60s I would assume that she already gets her state pension/pension credit, again that's another reason where means tested benefits would stop if someone gets a pension that replaces some means tested benefits.


I would find out exactly the type of benefits she gets, her needs and her income and contact Age UK who have brilliant benefit advisors, she can do this or you can on her behalf


crossed posts with joey jo jo

Thanks, she gets PC, all I know is that she says she will 'lose' £200 per week. I know also that she has to have a separate bank account for everything she spends on her care, and has to keep accounts.

As I said above, could it be due to the Benefits cap?

Poppie68

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I have a friend who is in her late sixties, has been disabled for many years, is mainly bedridden but can use an electric wheelchair indoors, and lives in sheltered housing. If she goes out she has to use a specially adapted taxi called a Barbara Bus. http://www.websfor.com/barbarabus/home/home.asp?A32

She has always paid for her care out of disability allowances, she needs someone to do cooking, housework and shopping, as well as helping her with washing/dressing.

She has been told that from April 2016, she is going to be £200 per week worse off as her allowance is being changed. :eek:

I have asked her why this is, so that I can help her if I can, but apart from making vague noises about 'the Government', she does not appear to know why.

I know it's a long shot asking on here, as no-one knows her circumstances, but has anyone any idea about why she would lose so much money when she is so disabled? She will not be able to pay for the care she needs,

Helpful comments please, not just those running down the Government! I would like to be able to help her if I can.

(We are only in contact via phone/email as she lives a good way away).

The letter should have the reasoning, is there any chance you can get her to read it out to you over the phone?

seven-day-weekend

Poppie68 wrote: »

The letter should have the reasoning, is there any chance you can get her to read it out to you over the phone?

She hasn't mentioned a letter, I get the impression that she has been told verbally by the manager of her sheltered housing.

missbiggles1

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Thank you for your reply, she has just turned 69, so born in 1946.

I don't know whether she is going onto PIP, as I say she does not appear to know herself what the situation is.

However....I have been doing further research and believe it could be due to the Benefits cap?

The benefits cap doesn't affect those over the age of 65.

https://www.gov.uk/benefit-cap

missbiggles1

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

She hasn't mentioned a letter, I get the impression that she has been told verbally by the manager of her sheltered housing.

How would s/he know about the benefits your friend receives?

Londonsu

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Thanks, she gets PC, all I know is that she says she will 'lose' £200 per week. I know also that she has to have a separate bank account for everything she spends on her care, and has to keep accounts.

As I said above, could it be due to the Benefits cap?

its not the benefits cap


Exemptions from the cap

You are exempt from the cap if you or anyone in your household (a partner or dependent child) is getting any of the following:

• Armed Forces Compensation scheme guaranteed income payment;
• armed forces independence payment
• attendance allowance;
• disability living allowance;
• housing benefit - if you are living in supported accommodation (referred to as ‘specified’ accommodation in current housing benefit legislation);
• industrial injuries benefits;
• personal independence payment;
• war disablement pension; or
• war widow's, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension

Poppie68

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

She hasn't mentioned a letter, I get the impression that she has been told verbally by the manager of her sheltered housing.

I would tell her not to worry, if there are going to be any changes to her benefits then the DWP will notify by letter not send a message through the manager!