Attendance allowance - help filling in the form

Annie1612

I am helping my dad to fill in the form to apply for attendance allowance. I have read a lot of tips and guides online which say that claims are often rejected because people don’t include enough information about their disability and how it affects them. I have talked to my parents about all the details of my father’s disability and I am at the point of writing it all down but have found the boxes on the form are too small to include everything. Even the example answers that charities/websites give wouldn’t fit in the boxes.

It doesn’t say anywhere on the form that you can continue on a separate piece of paper. Would I be allowed to do this? Just wanted to find out what other successful claimants did.

Many thanks
Anne

Annie1612

Just an update - I have now found there are two A4 sections to describe my dads care needs towards the end of the booklet. I thought this was for the personal statement from his carer (my mum). Does my mum write the personal statement on a separate sheet and include it with the form?Still confused! 😂

poppy12345

You can include extra sheets of paper. Your mum can write a letter of support as his carer if she wants to. Make sure to include his name and NI number on everything you send.

Spoonie_Turtle

I have no experience with AA but for my PIP and WCA forms I just typed all the answers and put 'see attached sheet page X' in the boxes.  Presumably you could do the same for AA if you wanted. 
And as poppy says, just make sure his name and NINO are on every sheet.

Alice_Holt

Yes.

Very sensible to add additional sheets. Put your dad's name and NI number at the top and attach securely to the form.
Reference the question number, and then write on the form -' continued on / see attached sheets' .

If you can type these sheets as it will be more legible than hand writing, and easier to edit / amend before settling on the final version. Before getting onto the specific activities, you can start these sheets with a general introduction summarising your dad's health and day to day difficulties, etc as this will better paint the picture for the DWP decision maker.  

Even using the additional pages, you are likely to find there isn't sufficient space on the form to fully describe the difficulties in a way that makes obvious the care needs. 

OutdoorQueen

Several of the boxes says to use section 61 for further information.

I would just put “Continued in section 61” and then on section 61 put “Continued from section x”

I listed things rather than wrote paragraphs.  

Not sure where the personal statement section is mentioned. 

elsien

I think they mean the section for people who know them. It’s not obligatory but can help with supporting evidence. Although CAB suggest that a professional may be preferable to a family member, if you can find someone.

Annie1612

Many thanks for all the replies 🙏 - I am writing things out in rough first and then will see what I can fit where. Re: personal statement. I didn’t know what to call it but I think it is evidence from someone who knows my dad well. He never gets to see the same GP and they are not very helpful, but he does get on well with his consultant, though I am not sure they would be able to contribute much with regard to his daily struggles. He is just started to have some involvement from a community nurse so she may be of help.