Guaranteed 10 year minimum awards for all who are 65+ — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Guaranteed 10 year minimum awards for all who are 65+

twonker
twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
With all of this hype about pensioners being singled out (provisionally) from the rest of society for minimum 10 year awards it must leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those who are under 65.
I for one can't understand why one sector should get this and not another.
We will obviously have to wait for more information from the government but surely someone who is 65 that has Standard Care PIP based entirely on 4 simple aids should not be put into the same category as those with Parkinsons etc.
As being one of those who is 65+ and whilst I don't have a PIP award I am still saddened that someone of say 40 yrs old with an incurable condition that makes life difficult would be getting a 3 or 5 year award whilst some who has normal age related issues would automatically qualify for 10 year award 

The choice should be that everyone gets a 10 year award automatically on no one does. If I did have a PIP award personally I would not be happy with this 'them and us' attitude. I don't agree with this proposition at all. 

Comments

  • JCC
    JCC Community member Posts: 38 Courageous
    I must say I am inclined to agree with you.   My eldest daughter will never be better than she is now and we are in the middle of a Mandatory Reconsideration as her Care component was reduced this time. She is 47 and has been poorly for many years now.    The whole process is farcical and while it is good news for those over 65 that perhaps have had debilitating conditions for many years there are many younger folk under 65 who are in the same boat.    Perhaps the powers thta be will have another rethink.   Fingers crossed.
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    This is all still speculation but a claimant who had a PIP award when passing SRA is unlikely to improve, what ever level they receive so it is a waste of resourses to keep assessing them.

    I do agree that a claimant with a lifelong condition that will not improve should not have to be assessed every 2-3 years however it is possible to ask for a longer award when going for asssessment stating the reasons why a 10 year award should be given.

    Regular assessments for other conditions should ensure that any worstening of the condition is picked up. Often, people get so used to managing that they don't always notice that they need more help.

    We will just have to wait and see
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    edited March 2019
    That should be the case, those under 65 with those types of issues should be automatically given the 10 year award without having to ask for it and having to prove entitlement.

    I take your point about pensioners not improving but not simply because of age. Like I said 4 aids to get 8 points pre 65 would probably get a 3/5 year award at best but post 65 it is probably to become 10 years? Absolutely ridiculous.

    People that learn how to cope would not need more help. It could result in less help needed which could well result in the lowering of an award much the same as medication would help, counselling etc would help. Regular assessments should be carried out to see if the award should be down graded in the same way it could be upgraded . Much the same as someone over 65 who should also be regularly assessed.

    As I have said I don't agree with her way of looking at making the post 65 claimants a special case even though I am one. None of this sits fair with me.
  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    Maybe she should make it 70. Most people who are ill and 70 have noone to.help them.
    Most of their family would be ill or dead.
    The stress is more the older we get 
  • Jean Eveleigh
    Jean Eveleigh Scope Member Posts: 183 Pioneering
    I find this difficult as well I am in the late 30's at the minute and have a 3 year award which states I will never get better and in all likelihood will get worse, am on the highest levels of payments so what is the point of reassessing me and anyone else in similar situations.

    I feel that arbitrarily extending assessment dates just on an age basis and not on the medical assessment/needs of the person is wrong.  There are so many areas where younger disabled people are ignored but older better able people are benefited (winter fuel allowance, TV licence exemption etc.) I have always said all things should be means/medical tested not age related
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    I find this difficult as well I am in the late 30's at the minute and have a 3 year award which states I will never get better and in all likelihood will get worse, am on the highest levels of payments so what is the point of reassessing me and anyone else in similar situations.

    I feel that arbitrarily extending assessment dates just on an age basis and not on the medical assessment/needs of the person is wrong.  There are so many areas where younger disabled people are ignored but older better able people are benefited (winter fuel allowance, TV licence exemption etc.) I have always said all things should be means/medical tested not age related
    Absolutely agree with you.
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    edited March 2019
    Misscleo said:
    Maybe she should make it 70. Most people who are ill and 70 have noone to.help them.
    Most of their family would be ill or dead.
    The stress is more the older we get 
    I will be 70 in June, still disabled but receiving only standard rate care until 2020 for that disability. However I do manage to have a life, not as before but hey at my age I don't expect to. I received 8 points for 4 aids.
  • zoomie
    zoomie Community member Posts: 9 Connected
    I start getting my pension from this month and am  enhanced/high PIP rates for both care and mobility. My award is till 2021. Will I be automatically be given a 10 year extension? And when will they let me know?
    Thanks
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    To my practical mind the most sensible thing to do would be to ignore age altogether and give the most appropriate level and length of award to each individual claimant. Everyone is different. Some will improve over time, some will get worse and need more help, some will remain as they are at the time of assessment . The main problem here, as so often, is the lack of knowledge among assessors about all our disabilities. Knowledge so important to be able to assess the effect they have on our daily lives. Take for example the assessor who asked the guy with Downs Syndrome how old he was when it started. How can someone like that attach a reasonable timescale to any award. I do object to the "4 aids statement" I am 68 and only have standard rate daily living, not because I only needs aids but because I had an assessor such as I have mentioned here. She also recommended reassessment in 3 years in 2017 so next year I will have to go through the nightmare again. However I'm glad to have the opportunity to "put things right" so in my case I would not have wanted a 10 year award based on a dishonest assessor's report.      
  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    Also people over 65 dont get mobility. How are we surpose to get around. 
    But you didn't say that wasnt fair did you. ?
    People over 65 need to get to hospitals often a long way from home so all 65 & over should get mobility 
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    People over 65 have mobility if they had it before they were 65. If you mean Attendance Allowance that's a different benefit. I get higher rate mobility because I'm entitled to it so not sure what you're getting at?   
  • zoomie
    zoomie Community member Posts: 9 Connected
    PIP is what I meant. If you were getting it before you continue to receive it even after reaching Pension age. 

Brightness

Do you need advice on your energy costs?


Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.