Attendance Allowance Help

Caretaker48

Hello all, a question on how long does a person receive A A my wife as been getting the lower rate of £ 372 per month until March 2024 as she as been informed that from then is she will no longer get it, nothing as changed her ailments are the same perhaps a bit more intense, she relies on me to help her,We have asked for a Mandatory Reconsideration and been in contact with Citizens ,Advice and awaiting a meeting.Is this it, does anyone know or been through this ?

elsien

Was she given it for a fixed period rather than an indefinite award, as if so, you will need to reapply to renew it.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/claiming-attendance-allowance/renew-an-attendance-allowance-claim/#:~:text=Your%20Attendance%20Allowance%20will%20be,criteria%20when%20you%20claim%20again.

Caretaker48

Hi elsien thanks for your reply we automatically thought it was forever or till symptoms get worse, we have reapplied with other illnesses such as asthma which is new added to her list, and this is were they came back with the reason for the decision Help with personal care: I assume my wife would need help through the day and night, we sent a medical report and even that didn't help.

Alice_Holt

Caretaker48 said:

Hello all, a question on how long does a person receive A A my wife as been getting the lower rate of £ 372 per month until March 2024 as she as been informed that from then is she will no longer get it, nothing as changed her ailments are the same perhaps a bit more intense, she relies on me to help her,We have asked for a Mandatory Reconsideration and been in contact with Citizens ,Advice and awaiting a meeting.Is this it, does anyone know or been through this ?

    To answer your question we need more information.

    AA continues as long as your wife continues to be entitled to it. 

    Once in payment, she will be asked to complete periodic renewal forms. These will then be assessed by a DWP decision maker who will determine if AA should continue and if so at what rate.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/claiming-attendance-allowance/renew-an-attendance-allowance-claim/#:~:text=You should get a letter,DWP before the renewal date. 

So several things could happen to stop AA:
i)  You fail to complete and return the renewal form;
ii) The renewal form gets lost in the post:
iii) You return the renewal form, but the DWP adjudge you no longer have the care needs to justify continuing the award.

Did you receive a renewal form?
Who 'informed that from then is she will no longer get it' - was this a letter from AA ? 
What exactly did it say ?  Have AA decided that she no longer has the care needs to justify continuing the award.
On what grounds have you asked for a Mandatory Reconsideration.


When you have your Cit A appointment it is vital that you take all the relevant paperwork / letters with you if you want specific advice., They will need to know exactly what has happened. 
If you just tell the adviser that details that you have posted, they will not be able to advise you on the next steps.



I'm guessing that (a) either you have failed to return the form, or (b) a DWP decision maker has decided AA should no longer be awarded.

If (a)  Ring AA ( 0800 731 0122 )  and get a form, then get help to complete it from your local advice charity;

If (b)  You need to appeal the decision to stop the AA award

  https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/attendance-allowance-appeals/attendance-allowance-mandatory-reconsideration/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/attendance-allowance-appeals/appeal-an-attendance-allowance-decision/

Again get help from your local advice charity.

If (b)  - did you complete the renewal form without any help? 


If you are able to answer the questions above and tell us exactly what has happened - we might be able to help further.

elsien

Did you properly fill in the form with the impact it has on her because listing the illnesses in themselves wouldn’t be enough. Obviously you did that first time round for it to be awarded, but I’m wondering if you didn’t give the detail that you could’ve done with the reapplication because of a presumption that they would already know that that information?

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/attendance-allowance/what-to-include-in-your-attendance-allowance-application/

Alice_Holt

Caretaker48 said:

Hi elsien thanks for your reply we automatically thought it was forever or till symptoms get worse, we have reapplied with other illnesses such as asthma which is new added to her list, and this is were they came back with the reason for the decision Help with personal care: I assume my wife would need help through the day and night, we sent a medical report and even that didn't help.

         That's a real pity.

    You needed to fully explain your wife's care needs on the AA renewal form, not just list new illnesses. 

       So, you now need to appeal the decision. 
   Did your MR explain fully both the old and new health conditions, and most importantly her care needs?

It can be difficult to win an appeal if the form doesn't justify why an award should be continued. 
You may be better to start again, and submit a fresh compelling AA application that fully explains her care needs during the day and night.  (Get help to do this, take a copy, and use this copy for subsequent renewal forms).  

When you see Cit A take the copy of the AA renewal form you did (I'm assuming you made a copy) and they might be able to decide if a new application is better than appealing (or possibly do both).  


Edit :  The more I think about this, I think the best approach might be to make a fresh application with the help of an experienced adviser to complete the AA form.   

An appeal will take many, many months to be heard at tribunal, and if the renewal form is poor the outcome might be in doubt.
It hinges on what was written on the renewal form (and MR), and if the existing and new care needs were fully explained.
If the OP can get help with the appeal from their local advice charity, then a decision could be made on whether to continue the appeal when the DWP appeal bundle including the AA form is received.  

In the meantime a new application could be in payment.   

Caretaker48

Hello Alice. The renewal form arrived and we filled it is as was posted back early as I didn't want it to be caught up in the Christmas post I posted it on the 27th November 23, on the 8th December the letter arrived back informing my wife, Sorry to tell you cannot get A A. The reason for the decision
Help with personal care:
You are not entitled because to get A A you must have a disability which means that you need:  Right through the day, frequent attention with your bodily functions or continually supervision to avoid substantial danger to yourself or others; or at night ( the same as above ) 
From the information we have looked at we have decided that your needs do not satisfy these conditions.We consider the following information to decided that you cannot get A A Information from you claim form. A Medical report that you sent us.
My wife as arthritis, spondylitis in her neck, and she needs my help getting in and out of bed getting dressed and again getting in and out of the bath.
If you need anything further information Alice please contact me.
Thank you for your information.

Easyjet77

Hello,  does the claim only relate to attendance allowance? The figure you have quoted  is neither the lower nor higher rate. Also AA is paid 4 weekly, not monthly.

elsien

They have mistyped the first two as a three as the lower rate is £272.4 over 4 weeks. 

Caretaker48

Elsien you were right I did make a mistake in the amount. We have made several calls to Cit A and left voice messages so hoping when they are open we will get a message.
Thanks one and all for the help you have given us.
Happy New year.