Who provides daily living AIDS?

rockingbilly

Katykat wrote: »

She hasn't squandered her AA, but at the same time she hasn't saved any of it,.

I can only relate to this using a family member as an example. He had been getting AA for many years - something like 20 years.
In all of that time he used it to keep topping up his savings pot. Every year He would spend a month in the States with friends, and every few years he would splash out on a trip to Sydney, Australia to stay with his brother in law for a month. Additionally he took holidays to the Far East and New Zealand.
He died aged 88 and had a good life courtesy of AA and the £4000 a year he received.

Now that is a case that does prove that AA is not working.

fiddlesticks

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

Hello nannytone, is criteria like that just in England?

I offered to contribute to equipment from ot in Scotland and they told me they will pay all the costs. I am in social housing is that the reason I do not have to contribute?

I found the same in Scotland. When I got out of hospital, the OT team were supposed to give me a shower stool and a few other aids. Fortunately I didn't need them as it took 3 weeks for the OT to visit but when they did they organised a couple of permanent house modifications all paid for by the council. Plus they were things I wanted doing anyway, even before I was ill, but had never been able to find a trades person to do.
I'm not in social housing.

margaretclare

rockingbilly wrote: »

I can only relate to this using a family member as an example. He had been getting AA for many years - something like 20 years.
In all of that time he used it to keep topping up his savings pot. Every year He would spend a month in the States with friends, and every few years he would splash out on a trip to Sydney, Australia to stay with his brother in law for a month. Additionally he took holidays to the Far East and New Zealand.
He died aged 88 and had a good life courtesy of AA and the £4000 a year he received.

Now that is a case that does prove that AA is not working.

Are you quite certain about all this - did your relative tell you that was what he was doing?

AA is non-taxable and non-means-testable. Those two things make it one of the more useful benefits. No one asks what it gets spent on, but when you have limited movement for whatever reason, there are so many things that you need money for which you used to be able to do for yourself, free.

I don't know about topping up savings. We used a huge amount of our savings on the bathroom conversion last spring and it has been worth every penny. Car costs - yes, we could have a bus pass but that's useless if you can't walk to the bus stop. And we still pay tax on most of our income. And no one says you can't go on holiday! Staying with relatives on the other side of the world - he'd presumably only have the air fare to find.

rockingbilly

margaretclare wrote: »

Are you quite certain about all this - did your relative tell you that was what he was doing?

AA is non-taxable and non-means-testable. Those two things make it one of the more useful benefits. No one asks what it gets spent on, but when you have limited movement for whatever reason, there are so many things that you need money for which you used to be able to do for yourself, free.

I don't know about topping up savings. We used a huge amount of our savings on the bathroom conversion last spring and it has been worth every penny. Car costs - yes, we could have a bus pass but that's useless if you can't walk to the bus stop. And we still pay tax on most of our income. And no one says you can't go on holiday! Staying with relatives on the other side of the world - he'd presumably only have the air fare to find.

Yes he did tell me, it was my uncle. He was quite proud and happy that the DWP saw it fit to help him enjoy what days/weeks/years he had left. I wasn't impressed to say the least but as he wasn't doing anything wrong I just saw it as one of those things.
You are right AA can be spent on anything, that is what surprised me. He didn't need the money that AA gave him, so what was he to do - send it back or close a genuine and valid claim?
This is where I believe that both PIP and AA should be means tested or even scrap AA and give the money to the council instead so that they can pay the proper price to care homes so that the very needy get a decent deal out of it. To pay only 65% of the price of a place in a care home causes two things - the individual gets a poorer service to compensate for the smaller payment made by the council and two, those that pay privately pay extra to cover the loss caused by the council.
Those ideas would certainly go some way to helping out the most in need.

Mojisola

rockingbilly wrote: »

He didn't need the money that AA gave him, so what was he to do - send it back or close a genuine and valid claim?

You don't get 'given' AA - you have to claim it and say why you need it.

Either he did need it but instead of getting care chose to save it up and spend it on holidays or the claim was fraudulent.

margaretclare

I wouldn't like to think of AA going to the council. There is no guarantee that it would get used as you hope.

I think the idea originally was to pay for things that cost money which help disabled people live at home and keep them OUT of care homes!

I know nothing about PIP, but we certainly pay for things which, in earlier years, we did for ourselves, with ease. Windows, gardening - you daren't let the place start looking neglected or it's a magnet for those who prey on what are called 'vulnerable people' - the elderly and disabled. Some no-goods think we've all lost our marbles - the local paper always has stories of 'distraction burglaries' or people conned into having work done at exorbitant cost. So the outside must be kept tidy and we can no longer do that. The bathroom was something else - it's now 'mobility friendly' with a level access shower, and it cost approx £16K. Without that we'd certainly have had to have grab-rails, raised loo seat etc provided by - somebody. The council?

We bought our own sticks, crutches etc. The only thing the council provided when DH came out of hospital was a wheeled zimmer. He couldn't manage at all without that. They also sent a commode which we managed to get sent back unused.

We also get £300 a year winter fuel payment between us, and strictly speaking we don't need that either, but it helps. We've just had the annual service on the boiler. Staying warm and well-fed at home is keeping us OUT of A&E or care homes! Neither of us uses a bus pass - I haven't even got one.

PS: DH goes to a specialist orthopaedic unit next week for reconstruction surgery on his leg. At his clinic appointment he was told to eat protein for tissue repair. So, food isn't cheap, but to stay healthy, good food rather than rubbish is essential.

Prinzessilein

AA/PIP/DLA being paid to the council would be a nightmare!

I need a new ferule for my walking stick.

Current scenario: I go to the local disability shop with my stick. The assistant looks at the stick, asks what sort of ferule I want (metal, rubber, spiked sort for ice?)...I reply 'rubber'. The assistant goes to the appropriate display and selects the right size, asks if I want it fixed on now....and does the job. I pay the price asked for, using my DLA and leave the shop....job done.

Now, the scenario if it was all done through the council...

I phone the council and explain I need a new ferule for my walking stick....the line is constantly engaged, but eventually I get through. ....I am told that yes, I have the right department and an application form will be sent out to me that afternoon. ...one week later I phone again to ask where the forms are, and am told they have no record of my phone call, but promise that the paperwork will be in the post that afternoon...one week later I go to the offices in person and explain I want a new ferule for my walking stick, I have phoned twice but no application form has arrived. No problem, they give me the forms to take home...the application form for a new ferule is a 26 page booklet, most of which I just cross to say not-applicable.....form is sent back and two weeks later I receive a phonecall to say my application has been processed and I need an appointment with the DLA-Allowance officer. ...I attend (with my carer/Mum) - and have to deal with someone who doesn't understand what a ferule is, or why my stick needs one....but I am lucky...my claim is accepted, (no need for an appeal!)....I am informed that I will receive 80% of the cost of the ferule (if the money was paid via the council they would need to employ ,ore staff, and where do their wages come from?...I'm guessing that it would come from the pot that used to be AA/PIP/DLA...so no one would get the full amount they need!)...provided I bring in 3 estimates so the council can use the cheapest one...I do this and am smilingly told that my money will be placed into my bank account in 3-5 working days.......okay so MAYBE things would be less bureaucratic and more straightforward...but somehow I doubt it!

rockingbilly

Mojisola wrote: »

You don't get 'given' AA - you have to claim it and say why you need it.

Either he did need it but instead of getting care chose to save it up and spend it on holidays or the claim was fraudulent.

He was awarded AA because of the way his life was and according to the DWP, satisfied the criteria. As he did not need it to pay for care or any other form of help, he saved it.

rockingbilly

Prinzessilein wrote: »

AA/PIP/DLA being paid to the council would be a nightmare!

I need a new ferule for my walking stick.

Current scenario: I go to the local disability shop with my stick. The assistant looks at the stick, asks what sort of ferule I want (metal, rubber, spiked sort for ice?)...I reply 'rubber'. The assistant goes to the appropriate display and selects the right size, asks if I want it fixed on now....and does the job. I pay the price asked for, using my DLA and leave the shop....job done.

Now, the scenario if it was all done through the council...

I phone the council and explain I need a new ferule for my walking stick....the line is constantly engaged, but eventually I get through. ....I am told that yes, I have the right department and an application form will be sent out to me that afternoon. ...one week later I phone again to ask where the forms are, and am told they have no record of my phone call, but promise that the paperwork will be in the post that afternoon...one week later I go to the offices in person and explain I want a new ferule for my walking stick, I have phoned twice but no application form has arrived. No problem, they give me the forms to take home...the application form for a new ferule is a 26 page booklet, most of which I just cross to say not-applicable.....form is sent back and two weeks later I receive a phonecall to say my application has been processed and I need an appointment with the DLA-Allowance officer. ...I attend (with my carer/Mum) - and have to deal with someone who doesn't understand what a ferule is, or why my stick needs one....but I am lucky...my claim is accepted, (no need for an appeal!)....I am informed that I will receive 80% of the cost of the ferule (if the money was paid via the council they would need to employ ,ore staff, and where do their wages come from?...I'm guessing that it would come from the pot that used to be AA/PIP/DLA...so no one would get the full amount they need!)...provided I bring in 3 estimates so the council can use the cheapest one...I do this and am smilingly told that my money will be placed into my bank account in 3-5 working days.......okay so MAYBE things would be less bureaucratic and more straightforward...but somehow I doubt it!

It may or may not happen like that.

I was only pointing out that at the moment social care and especially homes that are being paid for by the council are in distress. Care homes are saying that they can no longer afford to take in people if the council is not willing to pay the full charge. At the moment there is an average difference between what the council pays and what the homes charge of about £250 a week.
Presently that difference is being recovered from people that pay for their own care + another £250 a week on top.
It would solve the problem and everyone that required a care home place would get one that is fully paid if the money that is paid out in AA is diverted to the care home fees via the council. What is left over could fund more social workers, OTs' , meals on wheels as well as provide enough money for carers that come into a home to spend at least 30mins instead of the current 15mins

Mojisola

rockingbilly wrote: »

He was awarded AA because of the way his life was and according to the DWP, satisfied the criteria. As he did not need it to pay for care or any other form of help, he saved it.

So he put in a claim for it.

If his claim was honest, then he must have needed the extra money. It was his choice to save it up for holidays - having the trips to look forward to and the time spent with family and friends may well have contributed to his long life.