Attendance Allowance

rockingbilly

I have read most if not all of the Regulations relating to the above but cannot find anything that relates to repeat claims.

I presume AA is different to ESA, but then how long do you have to wait before making another AA claim?

If made too soon after a previous failure, would the DWP look at the previous F2F assessment to decide whether to refuse it again?

I just feel that the government should be made to recognise that I have sufficient care needs to qualify for the benefit. The report from the earlier claim was completely at odds to what the truth was - I didn't appeal or do a MR as that wastes time if I could get a new claim in instead.

kingfisherblue

AA is indeed different to ESA. It is a benefit equivialnt to DLA or PIP, but is for over 65s applying for the first time. There is no mobility component. I don't know if you have F2F with AA - my dad didn't, but that was some years ago.

teddysmum

rockingbilly wrote: »

I have read most if not all of the Regulations relating to the above but cannot find anything that relates to repeat claims.

I presume AA is different to ESA, but then how long do you have to wait before making another AA claim?

If made too soon after a previous failure, would the DWP look at the previous F2F assessment to decide whether to refuse it again?

I just feel that the government should be made to recognise that I have sufficient care needs to qualify for the benefit. The report from the earlier claim was completely at odds to what the truth was - I didn't appeal or do a MR as that wastes time if I could get a new claim in instead.

Have you been refused AA as well as DLA/PIP, now ?


I'm not surprised as the criteria are stricter. For the latter not being able to cook a meal counts, but for AA that doesn't seem to matter; you have to be unable to actually eat the meal unaided.

rockingbilly

kingfisherblue wrote: »

AA is indeed different to ESA. It is a benefit equivialnt to DLA or PIP, but is for over 65s applying for the first time. There is no mobility component. I don't know if you have F2F with AA - my dad didn't, but that was some years ago.

I agree there is no mobility element. It's a shame though as it also paid for the car tax under DLA which was all I wanted from the mobility part. But since my wife changed her car and the first year is NIL tax whereas the second and subsequent years is currently quoted as £30 a year, it is not something I am really bothered about.

Yes I had a F2F assessment for my first AA claim - it was very tiring (long distance to get there) and confrontational. I thought that I had explained things pretty well and also supplied excellent supporting evidence. But I was turned down after they just said that I did not reach the required level of needs as required.

Taken from the DWP Attendance Allowance guidance: https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/eligibility

Assessments
You might get a letter saying you need to attend an assessment to check your eligibility. The letter will explain why and where you must go.
At the assessment, you’ll be asked for identification. You can use a passport or any 3 of the following:
birth certificate
a full driving licence
life assurance policy
bank statements

Really all I want to know is if I will be wasting my time putting in a new claim so soon after the previous failure (few weeks ago)?

rockingbilly

teddysmum wrote: »

Have you been refused AA as well as DLA/PIP, now ?
I'm not surprised as the criteria are stricter. For the latter not being able to cook a meal counts, but for AA that doesn't seem to matter; you have to be unable to actually eat the meal unaided.

Yes, I was turned down for AA a few weeks ago. Previously I went for PIP from DLA earlier this year and only got a far as sending back the PIP2 form. I was refused without a F2F. Presumably I didn't (well someone else didn't) fil out the form properly.

I don't actually know what counts for AA. It just seems to be based on having sufficient care needs in general which seems to me to be a bit wooley.You either do or you don't and if you say you do try proving it.

poppy12345

rockingbilly wrote: »

Really all I want to know is if I will be wasting my time putting in a new claim so soon after the previous failure (few weeks ago)?

I think you'd be wasting your time as you've already been refuse PIP now AA. Why not just ask for the MR instead of putting all these claims in all the time. I read somewhere once where someone did exactly as you did with all these claims. They then went onto put yet another claim in for AA about 6 months after they first got refused it. The refusal came back saying as it was only recently they'd been refused and because their condition had remained the same so again no award was given.

rockingbilly

Penitent wrote: »

If someone has been assessed as not qualifying and they disagree with this assessment, they should go through the MR/appeal process. They should only reapply if their condition has changed or worsened since the previous application.

I understand all of that, but I have chosen not to appeal or go for MR. Besides which the time limit for a MR has now expired, so it is a new claim or do nothing.

rockingbilly

poppy12345 wrote: »

I think you'd be wasting your time as you've already been refuse PIP now AA. Why not just ask for the MR instead of putting all these claims in all the time. I read somewhere once where someone did exactly as you did with all these claims. They then went onto put yet another claim in for AA about 6 months after they first got refused it. The refusal came back saying as it was only recently they'd been refused and because their condition had remained the same so again no award was given.

As told to penitent above, the time limit for a MR has now passed in any event.
Ahh that is what I needed to hear. That is my worry to be honest that they will use the previous assessment and decision to deny the new claim and not bother looking at the new claim in any event.

So where does one go now? Can't appeal even if I wanted to and any new claim for the same problems will be denied before it gets off the starting grid?
Ah well looks like it is time to hang up my pens and paper and accept that the DWP will never lose.

rockingbilly

Thanks, thread now closed. I have had my concern confirmed.

rockingbilly

Penitent wrote: »

Has your condition changed or worsened? If yes, new claim. If no, do nothing.

I'll just finish off with this reply. No, nothing has changed, no new illnesses, no new or deteriorated difficulties.
Just probably didn't do a good enough job filling out the claim form, didn't handle myself at the F2F properly and didn't seek any independent advice when making the claim in the first place.

Alice_Holt

RB posted on 31st March that "The post came this afternoon and with it came an invitation to attend a face to face assessment for the Attendance Allowance claim.".
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5626671

Now, just 6 weeks later, he claims at post 8 "Besides which the time limit for a MR has now expired, ...."

The MR time limit is one month from the date on the decision letter.
So, if we believe RB he received an assessment invite on the 31st March and his decision letter was dated on or before the 4th of April.

Do we believe RB?