Information for all

[Snodgrass1]

In case you don't know and I apologise to those that do, but are you aware that 65 is a magic age. I will explain. As I had mentioned previously I was diagnosed with A1 some 14 yrs ago, but it is only in the last 3/4 yrs that it has worsened, and as of 14 months ago I went on Oxygen. In my case I persevered trying to keep fit, doing everything I was told I had to do to make my life easier but when I needed help, it was no, sorry. At 66 I was told I wouldn't be able to apply for a mobility vehicle as you have had to do so by the age of 65. Although I had asked about a lung transplant a year or so ago I am told by the Specialist at the Royal Brompton Hospital only last week that as I am over 65, I am to old. The only thing which I have been able to get and that was only after a Nurse at my six monthly review by my local consultant told me, which is Attendance Allowance ( if your not on it and over 65, google it). This is not me having a go at the system, to me my problem was hereditary so it's just one of those things you have to deal with and get on with life. So, in case you didn't know, now you do. If their is something you know which everybody is entitled to or can get please let us all know.

Have a nice day.

[sassy59]

Thank you Snodgrass, can't think of anything else. Information is important to know. Pete is 65 now. You take care xxxxxxx

[Hidden]

Yes snodgrass, In one of my previous answers to somebody else I did ask why, just as we reach the age when our cars are needed more and more to maintain our independance the benefit system decrees that we do not need or wish to leave the house alone and so only qualify for attendance allowance for someone to come and take us out for little rides. What an old fashioned view of ageing! I was lucky, I got my PIP application in just before my 65th birthday and I have a motability car. We are the same age so that just isn't fair is it!

[Nottobad]

alltogethernow.org.uk/gover... Attendance allowance is being scrapped for new claimants . Think you should read this

[Hidden in reply to Nottobad]

yes nottobad. It seems inevitable that they will eventually take the mobility element away from over 65s even if they have been receiving from before they were 65. Very nasty all round

[jimmy1c]

Hi your post was of interest to me as I had a conversation with my consultant re transplant and he said I was not anywhere near that stage. I asked for reassurance that I would be considered as soon as possible as I did not want the catch 22 situation of me being too sick to be considered whilst presently being too well to be a candidate

I was not informed of an age barrier being in place. I am 65 in April. I would also like to know if your PIP assessment determines if you are elegible for a mobility vehicle

Thanks

Jimmy1c

[Hidden in reply to jimmy1c]

Hi jimmy If you qualify for enhanced mobility element of PIP you will be able to have a motability car and an automatic Blue Badge

[Watfordgirl in reply to jimmy1c]

You need another conversation with your consultant about transplant, jimmy1c. It does sound as though you're too well to be considered now and by April you'll be too old. Or is it different in Scotland?

I'd hate to mislead you. It's wrong not to go through all the exclusion details as soon as the transplant word is mentioned to avoid unnecessary disappointments.

Sue x

[scobbie1 in reply to jimmy1c]

Yes their are two things that are taken into account how mobile you are and if you are able to plan a journey I was refused because my mind is intact and I can plan a journey only received 4 points you need 8

[PastMeBest]

Hi Snodgrass1 I can't understand why when you reach 65 the powers that be think that you don't need to be mobile. If anything, the older you get, it is logical that you would most probably need more help with mobility.

When I became ill and applied for PIP I was only 64 so just managed to get Mobility in time. Another 3 or 4 months latter and I would have missed out. I'm not sure if it will continue once I am due to apply again.

I wonder how many people lose out on Mobility that would really benefit from it just because of their age. It does seem unfair to me.

As yourself I now wouldn't qualify for a lung transplant because of my age. You can understand that to a certain extent because survival rates as you get older diminishes. Some over 65s can be quite fit though, but they don't take that into account. Each case should be accessed on its own merit.

John

[Watfordgirl]

Hi Snodgrass, unfortunately "entitled to" and "can get" are worlds apart. x

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear that Snodgrass. To me 65 is a magical age as it's when I can get my state pension at last. x

[moogle in reply to Hidden]

Alas, being born in 1956, I have to wait until 66 for mine.

[warwickstag in reply to Hidden]

Wouldn't trust this government not to move the goalposts again Cough before you get there. Did me like a kipper when I was getting pension credit and they stopped it saying I'd now got enough contributions for max pension so didn't need pension credit any more. Then they moved the goalposts and now I'm 65 I discover I've got a funding gap and will only get approx 80%. Never warned me about needing to reclaim pension credit or make extra contributions. Bunch of robbers.

[Hidden in reply to warwickstag]

I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. I'm just hoping they won't raise it to 66 for me as they were talking about it. x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It seems to be a bit uncertain in the current climate, Bev telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/0...

[Hidden]

Thankyou Snodgrass...............I am lucky in that I have never needed to ask for anything, but you cannot lump everyone together and have age cut-off points which is what is happening here and now. We are all individuals and all different. It is very unfair.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jennifer the Govt. have actually broken their own laws in not giving us 10 years notice of any changes. This point has been raised with them a few times but they just ignore it. They can choose to but we can't. Bunch of hypocrites! x

[katieoxo60]

Hi Snodgrass1, yes 65 is the magic age when things seem to change. But it is not all down we get a free bus pass and concessions to theaters ect, that is of course if you can manage to go in the first place. We are allowed more savings when being means tested for council benefits ect. We loose our disability ratings to become pensioners rather than disabled pensioners. We no longer have to work, and if we do we don't have to pay national insurance contributions only tax. In respect of health we get an MOT at 70 but according to current trends if they find anything wrong we can't get treated. Constantly being reminded we are a burden on the state. There is also much talk about abolishing attendance allowance, a repreive as just been approved but for how long, one wonders and it is frozen at 2015 rate I beleive, just the same as other disability benefits i.e PIP and DLA. Even disabled grants for stairlifts ect have been tightened up so only people on pension credit get help in many cases. The list goes on, one thing you can get if you are disabled/ill as well as over 65 is a warm home grant from your electric company if income is below £16,000 and you don't qualify for pension credit. Many opticians do 25% off for over 65s. You get winter fuel allowance too but it has been the same figure now for many years, while fuel costs have rocketed.

[Hidden in reply to katieoxo60]

That's not the only things that haven't gone up in many years. The savings level of pensioners at £16,000 and others at £6,000 hasn't been increased for decades! Nor has the amount you are allowed to earn if you are on benefits before you lose any money. It's currently £5 a week for JSA claimants. Nor has the Christmas bonus x

[katieoxo60 in reply to Hidden]

The savings figures are a mind field as you can have £10000 ignored if you claim rate rebates as a pensioner, but over £16000 and you can't claim anything . Workers can only have £6000 I beleive and the same applies to pensioners if they claim glasses or dental treatment reductions,any figure over £6000 reduces the amount of help you can receive. It used to be £4 a week £5 won't even cover your bus fare to sign on in my city these days. The christmas bonus would have bought a full turkey dinner and trimmings when it was introduced, now it hardly buys a Turkey. If the system was easier to administer it would save money in itself and save confusion amongst the community who have to claim for what ever reason.

[Hidden in reply to katieoxo60]

What's hard for me Katie is that I cannot get a job where I live as most of it is either manual or shop work. I have a bad back too so can't do any of these. I have always done admin work and these are like gold dust round here, even part time minimum wages ones. I am considered too old for virtually any employment here as there is a lot of demand for jobs but not many going and they prefer youngsters they can pay the least to and work to death. Also here if you change jobs you are expected to start again at the bottom which is total opposite to London where I used to live.

I am therefore trying to survive until my state pension and to be allowed only £6,000 savings is nowhere near enough even for that. To say nothing of urgent repairs I need to do to my property which includes a 5th share of a new roof(urgent) and new windows (again urgent). There is other work I need to do as well. So I am being stuffed right up the swanney! x

[katieoxo60 in reply to Hidden]

It is a crazy world we live in Coughalot2. But I understand what you are saying, when my husband passed away I had no job, no hopes of getting one with five years to go to retirement pension. I used all my savings with sickness benefit to live on. The roof might be eligible for grant help , not sure about the windows though. It is not always easy with a joint liability for repairs to get help with the cost. These days £6000 goes nowhere towards the cost of repairs or replacing furniture ect. It cost me a £1000 just to redecorate & recarpet a room only a basic size room. To refit a bathroom and tile 6' x 6' costs anything from £3500 upwards. I do have the option of re- mortgage fortunately but wonder how others manage as repairs even with Age UK cost £14 an hour. Think many of us feel like you after working all our lives we are up the creek without a paddle xx

[Hidden in reply to katieoxo60]

That's it exactly Katie. I am in the same position as you were. I have an experienced friend who can do the windows a bit cheaper but it will still cost at least £1,500. The roof will be at least £2,000. I have damp issues to sort out, need a new bath suite, new carpets. Oh and my boiler might need replacing.

The cost of all that will come to at least £6,000 and I still need some to subsidise my small private pension. Sometimes I think the Govt. is trying to finish me off so they would save the cost of my pension....

It does seem I am being punished for working full time all my life and buying my own property as we are encouraged to. x

[katieoxo60 in reply to Hidden]

Just a quick reply Coughalot2, you might be able to get help with a replacement boiler if yours is not energy efficient or is faulty.It comes under the governments new green scheme, and is not just for pensioners , its aimed at low income homes too.You must have small windows, one of my windows alone would cost that figure to replace. Don't have a mansion just large bay and picture windows Damp issues are covered by council grants to keep your property habitable. Bathrooms suites can be replaced quite cheaply , try local plumbers but it is different if you need tiling and refitting or re styling . But repairs to property are never ending if you want to live comfortably, after working all our lives we should be re-mortgaging to enjoy ourselves not for basic maintainance don't you think. ?

[Hidden in reply to katieoxo60]

Oh I agree Katie we should. I will be fine once I get my pension but it's the waiting and living on a pittance which is really getting me down.

I only have a small 1 bedroom flat with 5 windows. My friend did his own and reckoned the cost to buy would be around £1,000. I don't expect he will charge me more than £500 for doing it. He has a window fitting friend who will provide a certificate.

My local council has very little money for grants. I tried to get one years ago when my bedroom wall crumbling off. A guy came and basically no chance.

I looked into the boiler thing but there are too many conditions and it will still cost quite a bit. Hopefully it just needs fixing. x

[katieoxo60 in reply to Hidden]

Good luck with it all, recall them refusing me a grant too . Now I can't get one due to income. However I did get my house rewired free by the council but they don't do that anymore. I go for personal loans to do big jobs some interest rates are quite low, and the cost can be spread.

[Nottobad]

gov.uk/apply-for-disabled-b... You don't have to wait till you are 60 or over to get a bus pass. I have one and am 58

[Hidden in reply to Nottobad]

It depends where you live NTB. You get it at 60 in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. You also get it in London where it is free travel on tubes as well. It is only for the area you live in though and not national. England generally do not get theirs until state pension age.

The only other way to get one is to be on a qualifying benefit, but they have changed this from low rate to high rate disability. x

[Nottobad in reply to Hidden]

I know I can only use it in Scotland I enquired about this and was told England Wales and Northern Ireland have their own cards. I got mine as I have pip at standard rate and have plus one. So when my daughter travels with me she gets on the bus free. I also have a taxi card and that entitles me to free rail travel in the lothians.

[Hidden in reply to Nottobad]

Scotland get their bus passes at 60, unless you are on qualifying benefits as you are. In which case you can get one earlier. I am in England and used to get one for low rate DLA until they changed the rules to higher DLA only. When I have to change to PIP I doubt whether I will be considered bad enough for it therefore I won't get mine until my state pension age of 65 and 4 months. x

[Nottobad in reply to Hidden]

You never know you could qualifie. For pip at standard rate . I got points 8 points for mobility as I could not walk 20 meter with out getting breathlessand that was without AIDS And Was one point away from getting enhanced rate care due to the things I have to help me .

[Hidden in reply to Nottobad]

Hopefully x

[katieoxo60 in reply to Nottobad]

Hi Nottobad you are right disabled can get a bus pass at any age and it is the same as the pensioners bus pass however I think the topic was about the over 65 benefits or lack of them.

[Nottobad in reply to katieoxo60]

Sorry silly me

[Hidden]

Shameful..at 65 you deserve care and peace and quiet.