Is there anything a pensioner with Fibro can claim such as Attendance allowance.

[mollyanna]

[Hidden]

Not sure if so many people seem to have trouble claiming DLA with fibro as attendance allowance is the equivalent benefit for pensioners...My mother in law has Alzheimers and she gets attendance allowance ...I completed the forms on her behalf as she isn't capable of doing it herself and neither could my father in law...its worth a try on your behalf though.

[Hidden]

It would be worth having a word with your local Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) to see what benefits you may be entitled to. They have a wealth of experience and information and I am sure they could advise you about this.

Wishing you the best of luck, please let us know how you get along, it is always useful for others to hear about this subject. Many thanks.

[Hidden]

It would be worth having a word with your local Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) to see what benefits you may be entitled to. They have a wealth of experience and information and I am sure they could advise you about this.

Wishing you the best of luck, please let us know how you get along, it is always useful for others to hear about this subject. Many thanks.

[mollyanna]

Thank you I won't go to Citizens advise though,I went to see them when my husband had Cancer 2003 to see if I could get carers allowance ,but was told no as I was on invalidity at that time.My husband was probably told he could claim, as he doesn't but he can;t seem to take in what doctors tell him .he never claimed a penny.

[Hidden in reply to mollyanna]

My step dad has lung cancer and his macmillan nurse filled out forms for him straight away and he got some benefit within about a couple of weeks ...not sure what it was but was it was something he didn't have to jump through hoops for....will try to find out but its a senative issue atm

[Amanda]

my mum is 75 her social worker filled in her claim and within 2 weeks mum had attendance allowance of £50 a week!!

[Abbeystead]

Yes,I get it. Applied about 6 years ago after reading about a man who was retired and looking after his sick wife. The article advised you to get in touch with Age Concern which I did and they advised me. Filled in forms,sent them off and they rang a few weeks later to say I had been granted Carer,s Allowance it albeit the middle rate as I did not need looking after during the night . I wouldn't have known had I not read it in a Sunday paper. Worked for 40 years before becoming ill, as did my husband and because of this we have to pay everything - Community Charge,water rates,dentist,glasses etc.so dont feel a bit guilty receiving this.. Also when I first had my children there was no Family Allowance,although this did change and I got 25p (5 shillings) for the second child. Got nothing for the first. It then ev entually creeped up to 60p (12 shillings) a week. Used to save this for my TV licence. They were hard days, so have no guilty feeling in receiving this benefit. By the way I am 75 and husband is 77 in December.

Good luck anyway. They can only say No.

[mollyanna]

Thank you all for your help I will let you know if and when I get it .Although I believe I have had FIBRO since 1988 it wasn't recognised back then my GP told me it was the menopause and I would be better when I was 50 I am now 68 and went to see a knew lady GP with a sore throat it was ulcerated ,She then asked anything else I can help you with, I had about four other things so told her the lot,She then said why don't you come when you have something wrong ,I said because nobody listens and it becomes the norm,loads of tests came back as always clear .then one day while speaking to my daughter told her I had a pain in my chest and it was sore to touch. She said I think you may have Fibromyalga Mum. I looked on the internet and there staring me in the face was my medical history so I printed it off and took it with me to my next GP appointment told her what had happened she took a look at my recordS and said I think you could be right and referred me. Only got a diagnosis in June so suppose it is best to wait until December to try and claim.

[Hidden]

All my tests come back clear too... even hormonal ones though I have 23 symptoms on a menapause list ...I am only recently diagnosed however still feel everything is link with my cycle and at 46 I was hoping for better health for a while yet..I barely sleep too and often get up and sit here until 2-3 in the morning and when I do sleep I wake soaking wet and need to change clothes and my side of the bed needs something dry to lay on.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I put my mum in laws claim in as soon as we got her diagnosis as the dwp rang me just to clarify a few things and she got it virtually instantly ...she has had illness for 10 years though father in law didn't want to upset her, eventually enough was enough and I went to her GP myself as I couldn't stand back and see what was happening any longer

[dorarose]

Yes you can get AA when a pensioner. I applied 7yrs ago when told to stop working completely.. I was 64 at that time. I completed the form myself and my husband wrote how he needs to assist me both day and night when the Fibro is at its worse and how i need help on a day to day basis. Was very fortunate as 6 weeks later i was given the top rate which has proven invaluable. I cant have any assistance with the council tax ( we own a little 2 bed terrace house in middle of city) reason given by Council was that as we havent changed a room downstairs into a bedroom or had bathroom adaptations,or need wheelchair use around the house we dont qualify. we paid for chairlift for the stairs and have had a bath with seat inside which allows me to have shower or bath, it hasnt been changed to a complete wet room. Am thankful for the AA but not too bothered about the Council Tax. I believe if you dont ask you dont get!!!! its certainly worth trying but remember it is always on your worst days scenario that you fill in your forms. Good Luck

[mollyanna]

Thank you dorarose that is a big help ,had surgery on my foot yesterday I am at home upstairs in the bedroom just about managing the bathroom. Physio has warned me to expect a massive flare up with crutch's so trying to keep of them as much as possible.Things are difficult for us as my husband has Macular degeneration so don't like to keep shouting for thing's. He does get Attendance but is also living with Cancer although in remission I think we may need to pay for some help in the near future, because I know i do far to much even though I pay for it big time.