Attendance Allowance

Biggles

Pollycat wrote: »

It's not just about answering the questions, it's about phrasing your answers in the right way.
That's where Age UK or CAB can provide valuable - and free - assistance.

I would endorse that. It's essential to have someone with some experience help with the form unless it's a totally obvious case; and it rarely is.

pollypenny

Another supporter of asking an Age UK worker to help.

A lovely guy from Age UK did it for my aunt. He said it was like pulling teeth to get information from her, but he asked for a list of her medication and did the form from that, too.

Success.

ibizafan_2

My parents who are 85 and 89 both receive Attendance Allowance. Someone from a local support service filled the forms out with them. It definitely helps to have someone who knows what they are looking for to help. I know people who have filled the forms out themselves and been refused, although their condition warranted their getting it.

JuneBow

It definitely helps getting someone to fill in the forms.
Very often people underestimate the help they need, and also because they are already living "restricted" lives, they view this as the norm, so may seem that no help is required.
As well as this, it is about how long it takes to do a task.
For example, a "normal" person may take 5 minutes to get dressed. But, for someone with a disability, it may take three or four times that. They may not say that do not need help because they are doing it themselves, but in fact they DO need help because it is not normal to take 20 minutes to get dressed.
Hope that makes sense.
The charities know exactly how to complete these forms.

northwest1965

Age concern are going to do it next week and if successful which I am sure we will be, it will be back dated to the day i phoned Age Concern

malid

Great to see so many praising and recommending the services of Age Concern and others. I only suggested doing it yourself because I have previously completed the forms for two elderly relatives and both were approved by DWP. However. I understand that some prefer assistance and that's fine when it's free. Good luck.