How can i help my parents?

betterlatethannever

Hi
Sorry if this has been covered- i did search but nothing specific came up.


So my parents are in mid 70's and on a decent pension, but have a large mortgage due to buying very late in life.
Sadly my Mother has become quite disabled and is barely able to walk, but they refuse to claim anything and now she doesn't leave the house.
I'd like to help them with some way of buying a disability scooter.
Are there any benefits available to them that aren't means tested (good income but high outgoings)
Thank you in advance

Savvy_Sue

Attendance Allowance. But if they aren't prepared to claim, that won't help.

Although historically AA has been one of the easier claims to make!

badmemory

Agree with Savvy Sue re attendance allowance but if they won't claim then they just won't or at least not until it becomes a major problem. Are you sure though that this would help. It could well be that she doesn't leave the house because she doesn't want people to see that she is no longer "mobile".


One of the problems with getting older is that we do not want people to see us as "that" person & not as the person we used to be.

pollypenny

It took me about three years to persuade my aunt to apply for attendance allowance. Continually stressing that it is not means tested, and even well-off people have it, finally got through to her.

margaretclare

pollypenny wrote: »

It took me about three years to persuade my aunt to apply for attendance allowance. Continually stressing that it is not means tested, and even well-off people have it, finally got through to her.

Yes, it's one of the more useful of benefits in that it's non-taxable and non-means-testable.



The fact that it's non-means-testable may make it more palatable for those of the older generation who don't want to claim what they see as 'charity'.

betterlatethannever

Thank you everyone. :j
I think you may have hit the nail on the head and getting them to claim could be difficult, but the least i can do, is try.:A

Gers

betterlatethannever wrote: »

Thank you everyone. :j
I think you may have hit the nail on the head and getting them to claim could be difficult, but the least i can do, is try.:A

The claim form is fairly long which may well put many off. Luckily my DM was open to claiming, however it was the Welfare Rights officer at her council which wrote to DM pointing that they wanted to come and assess her for any relevant benefits. At first DM was dismissive as she does not qualify for any means tested benefits.

Once it became apparent that AA is not means tested then she was more receptive - the WR officer came to the house, asked the questions, took the form off, she completed and submitted it (after DM signed it) and the money came through in about five weeks - back dated too.

I hope you can persuade your parents to accept 'non charity' help.

SevenOfNine

AgeUK can help with claiming AA, where I live they'll even come to the house of someone if they cannot go to their offices, if they are of an age to qualify to utilise their services of course, your parents certainly are.

Might your mum be more open to considering it if they help her? She could use the money to buy the scooter herself. Investigate the Police sales of unclaimed stolen goods, I know someone who got one that way.

badmemory

I knew a retired police chief superintendant who was claiming it. I was surprised as I knew nothing about AA at the time.

suejb2

I filled in the forms for my dad's claim. Are you able to do it for them?

thegreenone

Age Uk were amazing in helping my Mum filling in the forms for AA.