Disability Living Allowance

[Franky75uk]

I was diagnosed with PSP after I was 65 and so recieved the Higher Rate Attendance allowance instead of the Disability  Living  Allowance. Thinking tha I would use the Motability Scheme to either rent a car or a scooter I found that I could not do either because I was ineligible to join the scheme despite also haing Diabetes 2 and Atrial fibulation.  Can anyone please tell me why?

[jzygirl]

It is because you are over 65 and get the attendance allowance. If you was under 65 you would get the disability living allowance wich could or would contain the mobility component. It basically means that people of working age have it to get them out and about and the powers that be recon that if you retired you have no need to be mobile.

I think it is Age discrimination. It's  the same as if you get carers allowance that stops at pension age. Janexx 

[Franky75uk in reply to jzygirl]

Thanks for your replyjzygirl.  I really do appreciate it.  The more I delve into this issue the more I think you are so right on it being an Age discrimination issue. Is it presumed then that nobody goes out t when they retire?  Everybody just sits at home watching TV?

Te blue badge parking for disabled is another example.  I called into the local council offices to renew my blue badge but was told that because I was getting  AA and not DLA  the badge award was discertionary and I woullld have to be vetted by a medical professional who turns out to be a physio who only works Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

What an absolute nonsense...

[Doglinton in reply to Franky75uk]

We've just been for our assessment. The questions were ridiculous. I handed her the book about PSP  and she quickly said we would be granted the Blue Badge. I was angry but its no good getting angry with her. She's just doing her job. But it seems to me there's so much money and time wasted denying us support. I could cry.

love, Jean x

[vlh4444]

Yes I thoroughly agree.  This seems unfair.  We looked into it in some detail when we had to buy our WAV last year.  Like many PSP sufferers D cannot now transfer from the electric wheelchair to the passenger seat of a normal car so having the WAV is the only way for us to get out to visit family, attend the hospice day centre, get to appointments etc. without waiting for hospital transport.  In the end we had to borrow money from very generous family members in order to purchase one secondhand.  If he had been a few years younger at diagnosis we would have qualified for a motability one.  I suggest a letter to your MP!

V

[Franky75uk in reply to vlh4444]

To have to borrow money as a means of providing suitable transort for a loved one with PSP is simply not on .  I would be prepared  to take on my own council's attitude to age discrimination (Blue Badge renewal ) but would very much need a better legal brain than mine to steer me through the pitfalls.

[Franky75uk in reply to Franky75uk]

An update...  Had a telephone call from the Physio who has to vet Blue badge applications.  Conversation went like this::

Physio.  What illnesses do you have?

Me:, PSP, Diabetes 2< Atrial firbulation , full hip replacement in 2007. revised in 2011.

Physio: How far can you walk? 

Me: About 10 yards.  Excuse me but do you know what PSP is?

  Physio :No....!!!!! What are the symptoms?

Me: I listed  them

Physio : you have been approved. Go to the council offices with two forms of id plus the Fee of £10 on 12th  May and the BB will be renewed.

Well i suppose that's one battle fought and won.  Must have been a coincidence that this happened two days after I had a call from our MP's secretary promising to get back to me ASAP.   Nothing so far on the question of motability,xxx

[Georgepa]

It is one of the"oddities " of  the  system . You  can only get  on the mobility scheme if  you are under 65. But once on you can stay on it for  the rest of your life   but if you are diagnosed  with something after 65 then you  get nothing . Brillant  joined up thinking  isn't it . We are in the  same  boat . My wife was  diagnosed  after 65   so  no mobility  scheme for  us  either .

[Debbieann]

No mobility for us either, the system is so unfair, why because you are over 65 do you not qualify the disability is just as disabling 

[Doglinton]

So agree. We are in same position. I didn't realise that it continues after 65 if you already have it. What is the thinking there ?

[Amilazy]

Unfortunately benefit system is not designed for modern life, DLA originally brought in for working age people with life threatening or incapacitating conditions who could not work and did not have a state pension.  DLA has now been replaced by PIP (Personal Independence Payments) which have higher thresholds to get the enhanced benefit.  Attendance allowance was designed to be additional to the state pension hence 65 but as CAB has been asking will this rise in line with rising pension age not yet indicated by DWP. 

The problem is the lack of mobility element not being available for Motorbility "charity" ( more like a car leasing company) to take to provide a car, for info the Motorbility. Scheme only provide a vehicle you have to pay for the adaptation to wheelchair access in addition.  I googled second hand wheel chair adapted vehicles found a local dealer who sold ex Motorbility WAV's and after part ex my old car (4 yr old Nissan Note) got a WAV of 4 yr old for less than £3k which had less than 10k miles on the clock.  Suggest PSPA get a list of these companies for handing out.

The main issue is that PSP sufferers cannot easily use public transport due to falls and heavy wheel chairs later stages.  Attendance Allowance assumes public transport is available to all pensioners OK in metropolitan areas but very limited else where.  Therefore I suggest a letter writing campaign to MP's I have raised issue so far with 3 MP's all 3 parties, and 5 Welsh Assembly Members.  I also ask all the candidates at this coming election in May.

Not fair but no one says why cannot be changed.

Best wishes Tim

[Franky75uk in reply to Amilazy]

thanks Tim for your reply.  Apart from individuals making personal protests this really is something that groups such as Age Concern and our own PSPA should get themselves involved in.  I especially agree with your final line.  Its not fair and it should be changed ASAP.  xx

[Robbo1]

Please everyone, write to your MP. I have. The more we contact them, the more they will listen to us. We had to sell our new car to buy an older WAV as my back was damaged by lifting the wheelchair in and out of the boot. Please pester your MP, ours is Nick Clegg and he is in favour of a level playing field when it comes to mobility allowance. Good luck! X

 

[Franky75uk in reply to Robbo1]

Thanks for your reply Robbo 1.  I will certainly be pestering my MP.  This is a blatant piece of age discrimination. Anyway, please take care. xxx

[Debbieann]

Yes I will write to mp, it would be good if we could get something organised jointly with other associations for disabled, speaking for all over 65 disabled who are being discriminated against, let's face it loads of other benefits/pensions are being bought in line