New batteries for council supplied stairlift?

Mrs_Money

Does anyone know anything about getting new batteries for a council supplied stairlift?
My mum's stairlift appears to need new batteries at £140 plus engineer call out and fitting charge!( these figures given to her over the phone from a number on the sticker on the stairlift). She has no income apart from state pension so some time ago her GP arranged for the stairlift for her and she thinks it was "the council" that supplied it. Anyway she did not pay for it and I'm hoping that she shouldn't have to pay for new batteries either?
We don't know who to contact and the GP is long ago retired so where do we go from here?

Mojisola

Mrs_Money wrote: »

She has no income apart from state pension so some time ago her GP arranged for the stairlift for her and she thinks it was "the council" that supplied it. Anyway she did not pay for it and I'm hoping that she shouldn't have to pay for new batteries either?

We don't know who to contact and the GP is long ago retired so where do we go from here?

Surely her notes are still at a GP's surgery?

If she needs a stairlift, has she applied for any benefits based on her needs?

If she isn't able to claim any and her weekly income is less than £155.60 (or £237.55 for a couple), she can claim Pension Credit.

Mrs_Money

Thanks, yes - I've suggested she phones her G P practice (she probably won't) but it's quite hard to get through to any of our practices on the phone! She gets attendance allowance but doesn't have carers or a P A - yet.
Think my Dad gets Pension Credit for them but all this is about to get much more complicated as he is in hospital and about to go into care. She's also been promised Lifeline by various adult social care people at the hospital but 6 months later nothing has appeared. Both my parents are in their nineties and I've tried to organise someone to facilitate a benefits check, lifeline, smoke alarms, a PA etc (from an older persons charity working with the local authority) and she refused to see them
I'm recently widowed and quite at the end of my tether with it all.

Mojisola

Mrs_Money wrote: »

She has no income apart from state pension

Mrs_Money wrote: »

She gets attendance allowance

Think my Dad gets Pension Credit for them

I've tried to organise someone to facilitate a benefits check, lifeline, smoke alarms, a PA etc (from an older persons charity working with the local authority) and she refused to see them

It's not true then that she only has the SP! My parents managed to save up and buy their stairlift and had it regularly serviced out of their AA and PC.

If either of your parents were in the forces, see if they will have someone from SSAFA round to help with benefits/care home/household aids/etc. My parents found that more acceptable than getting help from people like AgeUK. Could you "sell" it to your mother as necessary for your father's situation?

There are lots of elderly relatives who won't accept the help they need - it's extremely frustrating but sometimes you have to stand back and wait for an emergency to happen before they will let you help.

merlin68

The council supplied my stair lift, i just ring their repairs dept and they send someone out.
The lifeline, i had to sort out myself and pay for it monthly
With my lifeline they also installed the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detector linked into their system.

[Deleted User]

OP the GP probably referred the case to social services who would have sent out an occupational therapist to see what was needed, so perhaps you need to contact them?

converted

If the council supplied it they would have the contract for maintaining it, you should call them and explain the problem, they should then just arrange to sort it.

Robin9

I appreciate you have your own challenges following your recent bereavement but you (or another member of your family) need to take control of your parents affairs. It may be hard in the short term

Get your parents permissions so you can talk direct to their GP, utilities, council.

Are there POA in force?

Do you know what finances your parents have behind them - you may be surprised just how much their income is and how little their expenditure is. My MIL has SP, Attendance Allowance, Pension Credits and puts away money every month for those unexpected bills. Once you have some of these benefits the door is open for others - i am arranging for a grant for a boiler boiler replacement.

Could you ring the stairlift people - they should be able to tell you how it was paid for in the first place /

fed_up_and_stressed

Mrs_Money wrote: »

Does anyone know anything about getting new batteries for a council supplied stairlift?
My mum's stairlift appears to need new batteries at £140 plus engineer call out and fitting charge!( these figures given to her over the phone from a number on the sticker on the stairlift). She has no income apart from state pension so some time ago her GP arranged for the stairlift for her and she thinks it was "the council" that supplied it. Anyway she did not pay for it and I'm hoping that she shouldn't have to pay for new batteries either?

Her attendance allowance that you confirm she receives is given to her in order to pay for care related expenditure -which this definately falls into. So in effect she already is receiving money to pay for this.