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Local Authority Social Services to take over Attendance Allowance

Posted , 4 users are following.

les59996
les59996

This will affect all new applications for Attendance Allowance for those over 65 and due to age cannot claim PIP.

It is intended that to bolster the available funds that Local Authority Social Services have available, £5bn a year will be handed by the DWP to Councils across the country.The DWP intend to wash their hands of Attendance Allowance and are to allow Local Authorities to decide how they can support the disabled elderly.

Recent history where responsibility for making payments has been devolved makes me worried that Attendance Allowance as it currently is will disappear with the funds being used to bolster the finances of Social Services in general. Presumably Social Services will be the authority to assess who gets what and when.

This could well mean a more difficult award to get at a lower rate and each council will be responsible on how the annual funds are spent. I also worry that the 'passported' benefits and extra premiums under Pension Credit will also cease.

Some serious and worrying times ahead for the disabled elderly.  

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • ChrisA15
    ChrisA15 les59996

    Posted

    Well what do you expect from the DWP run by the egotistical IDS? The moron clearly hates not just the disabled or the elderly, but anyone who is in an extremely vulnerable position.
    • les59996
      les59996 ChrisA15

      Posted

      But at least Osbourne has kept his pledge to provide extra funding for the ailing Social Services budget and to make sure that the councillors and managers running that department are secure in their employment. . One tick to him!!
    • ChrisA15
      ChrisA15 les59996

      Posted

      Sorry, but I just can't trust Osbourne. He gives of that creepy smile, it's like an evil movie character scheming something.
    • SteV3
      SteV3 ChrisA15

      Posted

      Here's something he did recently... Bear in mind, most got a 1% payrise.

      George Osborne freezes public sector pay, gives his adviser a 42 per cent pay rise anyway!  Nice of him, frown

  • angela79426
    angela79426 les59996

    Posted

    All this makes me worry even more . I recieved the ' indefinate' award. I am nearly 64
    • les59996
      les59996 angela79426

      Posted

      Being 64 you must be claiming DLA. You will have to move over to PIP at some time between now and 2018.

      If you fail the PIP test AND you are over 65, you would have been able to claim Attendance Allowance (which is a simpler version of middle/high care of DLA). With AA moving to the Local Authority godness knows how you would be able to claim it even if you can.

      With the sound of it when the council take it over, quite possibly only the most disabled elderly will get anything with Social Services getting involved. You might not even get a cash payment, they may offer to pay for a carer for 30mins or so every week instead.

      As I have said, this is going to hit a lot of the elderly (65+) hard. 

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