So, I’m stood at the bar at half time waiting to be served and struck up a conversation with an elderly chap who was also waiting for his essential refreshment.
Now people who know me will tell you two things about me. I will talk to anyone and second, I never switch off and as I’m talking to this chap my benefits head naturally switches on and after a few questions realised that his wife should be entitled to Attendance Allowance.
Of course, I asked him why they hadn’t claimed, and his reply was that they weren’t scroungers!
What is Attendance allowance?
Attendance Allowance is not-means-tested and is to help people over 65 with disability-related daily living costs. Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that the percentage of those aged 65 and over who receive attendance allowance fell by 22.3 per cent in the six years after the coalition Government came to power in 2010.
So why don’t they claim it?
Thousands of elderly people who could be entitled to this extra tax free £200 a month do not make a claim and we know why, because of this public perception of being labelled as scroungers.
If you have ever wondered if you could be entitled to the Allowance I have can tell you and I can help you to make the claim.
A bit of good news…
Everyone likes some good news and I’m no different. So, this week I was delighted when I heard that one of Benefit Answers’ customers had been successful at Tribunal.
This was a claim for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) that this person had made back in 2016.
Over £9000
Obviously, I must be careful here (for reasons of confidentiality) but thanks to the hard work of Benefit Answers the customer now has an award of the enhanced rate of the daily living component of PIP and the standard rate mobility component.
That’s an extra £105 a week and better still over £9000 owed to them! And this person didn’t even have to attend the Tribunal.
And he didn’t go to the Tribunal!
It’s true that more Tribunals are won by people attending them, but Benefit Answers are good at winning appeals when the person doesn’t attend with careful preparation of witness statements. And this £9000 win proves it works.
I can do this for you. If you have been refused PIP, ESA, Attendance Allowance or DLA get in touch with me for some free advice.