The Huntley - where has she gone ?

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It's because the fraudsters know how to work the system.
Our neighbour was badly injured many years ago in a car accident. According to another neighbour he manages to get everything.
I have to laugh sometimes when the ambulance comes to fetch him for hospital appointments he comes limping out with calipers on both legs regardless that an hour or so earlier he was pottering round the garden weeding!
A few years ago he was held up at the hospital and the pharmacist came to the door as he had rung him to ask if I could take his medication in. It was a massive bag and I had to give my name and sign as one was a controlled drug,I assume it was morphine.

There is a lot of this about.......
I must widen my circle of friends to include some one who knows their way about these forms

Try going through the assessment, it's downright humiliating. Every single question the assessor goes through with you it seems as if they are trying to catch you out up to the point they are almost suggesting you are lying. The whole process is definitely designed to put people off having to go through it. I know they have to weed out the fraudsters but unfortunately the fraudsters sail through it whilst the genuine people get declined.

CC
This is soo true
 
They aren't doctors. I once went to a face to face assessment and the woman was a physiotherapist. My problem was to do with my heart. It gets my goat. Needless to say I scored nil points.

I worked in a community centre once and there used to be a lady came in, walked with a stick, didn't work had a bad back, couldn't sit for 5 minutes (and I know all this because she used to ask if I'd make her tea, which I did, and she'd tell me all her ailments). She could, however, sit on a flight to Florida for 8 hours no problem apparently. Rightly or wrongly, I just think some people can lie better than others.

CC
 
What company allows their employees to get paid expenses without receipts and being authorised???
I think MP's expenses should have receipts and be authorised/audited by independent people quarterly and, if appropriate,any claims which are not related to their work as an MP either not paid or reclaimed if already claimed.
Too many are getting thousands on top of their extremely generous salaries and benefits.
 
What company allows their employees to get paid expenses without receipts and being authorised???
I think MP's expenses should have receipts and be authorised/audited by independent people quarterly and, if appropriate,any claims which are not related to their work as an MP either not paid or reclaimed if already claimed.
Too many are getting thousands on top of their extremely generous salaries and benefits.
This is so true!!
 
Key with getting AA is to base the form around your worst day. I should know, because I used to be paid to support people to do the forms. You will be surprised how people who clearly needed the benefit would make out to me and others that they were actually a lot better and fitter than they were. I think it’s a case, in particular, of older people having too much pride and putting that first over their actual needs. There are plenty of skilled volunteers and paid employees from charitable sector type organisations offering benefits rights information and support, who are well-versed in supporting people to fill the form out in the ‘correct way‘. It really is worth having another look at the situation, and then taking some advice and guidance from somebody in that aforementioned sector.
Duke, can you possibly tell me where to go for this sort of help. My husband has had to stop work because of broken vertebrae and the morphine he was using to control the pain has been reduced to the point where he can no longer function. I work so he is not entitled to other benefits but if he can get some sort of disability payment it would make so much difference. Hope you can advise. Thanks
 
Duke, can you possibly tell me where to go for this sort of help. My husband has had to stop work because of broken vertebrae and the morphine he was using to control the pain has been reduced to the point where he can no longer function. I work so he is not entitled to other benefits but if he can get some sort of disability payment it would make so much difference. Hope you can advise. Thanks
A quick Google found



and I've always found Citizens Advice excellent

 
A quick Google found



and I've always found Citizens Advice excellent

Thank you. He has an appointment at citizens advice but I think it just depends who you get to see. Hopefully they will be of some use. I shall look at these other sites you've flagged. Thanks again
 
Thank you. He has an appointment at citizens advice but I think it just depends who you get to see. Hopefully they will be of some use. I shall look at these other sites you've flagged. Thanks again
Unless its changed since I left, even if they are experts (because of doing the same thing many times) they still HAVE to go through the CAB database with the client (it was all on paper when I was there, but now on screens). This ensures they don't forget anything.
 
Depends where you are in the country. Here in Nottingham, Age UK used to run an excellent welfare rights surgery from their central Nottingham HQ. They used to have people working there who knew the benefit system backwards - particularly how to complete the forms correctly to get the best chance of receiving AA and other benefits for the applicant. I can only speak as I find through experience of working in this field, albeit 15 or so years ago now, but I found the CAB to be a complete waste of time - particularly for this sort of issue. Things may have changed of course, but I found it too jack of all trades, virtually impossible to contact, with very limited opening times and a huge demand. Depending on where you are located, do a search on local welfare rights options. Age UK used to offer an outreach service, with paid workers and volunteers going out to see people in their homes to fill in the forms when travel was difficult or impossible for the applicant.

As I posted earlier, so many older people miss out on this particular benefit for all manner of different reasons - a combination of too much pride, and too little knowledge in what key phrases you need to include when completing the very difficult form AA application has always provided. You would be amazed how many who’d qualify don’t even know the benefit exists and that it is not means tested. It is absolutely key to complete the form in the mindset of the day you fill it out is your very worst day. It’s not about what you can do on a good day, it’s about telling the assessors how you struggle on your bad days. That’s what you need to base the writing of the form about.
 
Depends where you are in the country. Here in Nottingham, Age UK used to run an excellent welfare rights surgery from their central Nottingham HQ. They used to have people working there who knew the benefit system backwards - particularly how to complete the forms correctly to get the best chance of receiving AA and other benefits for the applicant. I can only speak as I find through experience of working in this field, albeit 15 or so years ago now, but I found the CAB to be a complete waste of time - particularly for this sort of issue. Things may have changed of course, but I found it too jack of all trades, virtually impossible to contact, with very limited opening times and a huge demand. Depending on where you are located, do a search on local welfare rights options. Age UK used to offer an outreach service, with paid workers and volunteers going out to see people in their homes to fill in the forms when travel was difficult or impossible for the applicant.

As I posted earlier, so many older people miss out on this particular benefit for all manner of different reasons - a combination of too much pride, and too little knowledge in what key phrases you need to include when completing the very difficult form AA application has always provided. You would be amazed how many who’d qualify don’t even know the benefit exists and that it is not means tested. It is absolutely key to complete the form in the mindset of the day you fill it out is your very worst day. It’s not about what you can do on a good day, it’s about telling the assessors how you struggle on your bad days. That’s what you need to base the writing of the form about.
Thank you, my opinion of the CAB was similar. Most of what I read and experienced was that they had little or no training and were basically normal people who wanted to work there and got a bit of expertise on the way, no real knowledge. We supposedly have an 'expert' to help him fill in the form which is who he has an appointment with, but I don't hold out much hope. I would just do it myself with help from the internet, but he thinks the CAB person will be better qualified. We shall see....... thanks for all your input.
 
Thank you, my opinion of the CAB was similar. Most of what I read and experienced was that they had little or no training and were basically normal people who wanted to work there and got a bit of expertise on the way, no real knowledge. We supposedly have an 'expert' to help him fill in the form which is who he has an appointment with, but I don't hold out much hope. I would just do it myself with help from the internet, but he thinks the CAB person will be better qualified. We shall see....... thanks for all your input.
Reading the Duke of Cheese comment why not try contacting Age UK we used them when getting Equity Release and the lady was brilliant.
I know it's different but shows they have expertise in matters. Good luck 🤞👍
 
I too helped many people fill in attendance allowance forms in the course of my work.You have to fill it in as if it’s their worse day.

When it came to myself I was unwell with chemo for many months and needing help but not to the extent I wouldn’t recover and I don’t have a terminal diagnosis. If you are terminal within 6 months you can get AA fast tracked.
 
Thank you all for your recommendations. He's just stubborn and goes where he thinks he should go so fingers crossed the person he sees has something about him.
 

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