Means test for house alterations

[Jan]

We are going through the same issues with grants etc, a big fat 0 for us We are with a housing association and are due a bathroom upgrade my suggestion to them was rather than spend on putting a bath in that the wife cant use put a shower in guess what the answer was drum roll please drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr................ yep you guessed it no, utter madness. We even tried to get them to liase with the MNDA who have said they might be able to help in someway still no, and we really are not prepared to pay out a shed load of money on a house that we dont own

Sorry rant over

I know exactly how you feel Davey, we rent our home too as we both work in the South and own a home in the North. Our Landlady said she had no issues with us converting part of the attached garage into a wet room but at our expense or get the government to pay!, no way on this planet was I going to pay to improve her property. Upshot is we found a bungalow to rent and she has lost good long term tenants. I was just so angry that she was attempting to use my illness to improve her property

Hi Davey,
Don't give up!! What is the difference in cost (I would say its very small) Get in touch with your local MP, Newspaper and anybody else you can think of. This is a crazy situation when they are going to do a bathroom upgrade anyway. Also ring MNDA again and ask if they can suggest anybody you can contact. Name and Shame your Council. And rant away.
Springtime x

We are going through the same issues with grants etc, a big fat 0 for us We are with a housing association and are due a bathroom upgrade my suggestion to them was rather than spend on putting a bath in that the wife cant use put a shower in guess what the answer was drum roll please drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr................ yep you guessed it no, utter madness. We even tried to get them to liase with the MNDA who have said they might be able to help in someway still no, and we really are not prepared to pay out a shed load of money on a house that we dont own

Sorry rant over

Ciara,

If the problem is because the job is over £20k would it be possible for the job to be split into two parts ? If you did that and apply for funding on the £20,000 or less part and pay for the remainder yourself.

John

Ciara, approach MNDA for advice. They are a fount of information and guidance. Hope you can get some help with it. Love Joycie xx

Applied for grant to build bedroom and wet room for Joe. Got phone call on Tuesday to say we are entitled to zero! Cost for extension over 20K. Find it hard to swallow that we both pay our taxes yet are entitled to nothing when we need it most. I teach and Joe worked for the council for 33 years. We were never great at saving for a rainy day!! Don't have the energy to be mad about this.
CiaraX

John, Terry, Pete, Alison and many more (so apologies to those I have not named) that come on here with such informative posts, a big THANK YOU to all of you. I for one John has no clue of this continuing healthcare. Also decent of you to point out that persistence is the way forward.
Personally for us Jim is nowhere near this stage of needing care, however many on here will be extremely enlightened after reading this thread. x

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/nhs-continuing-care.aspx

Trevor this is the NHs information on the benefit. The third heading explains how you get the benefit. You apply to your GP or as Allison says through your District Nurse. If they refuse you can appeal and when payment is eventually agreed ( which it inevitably will be with a progress illness like mnd) then you should get the benefit backdated to the time of your first request. The NHs seem reluctant to pay out but ultimately persistence will pay off.

John

Trevor your doctor, district nurse etc can put you in for continuing healthcare. You are then assessed but if for some reason you are refused now you can put in for it again as things progress.

Alison x

[Terry]

Might be best to ask your hospice if they are nice and helpful Trevor.

Thanks John, how do we apply?

Trevor,
There comes a point when you become entitled to NHs continuing care. If this is awarded then you get all your care paid for. It is again an assessment primarily if your needs are personal care or health care. Well worth pursuing and no means testing of any kind.
John

We recently had an assessment from Social Services. As soon as they realise we have more in savings than the permitted £23000 it seems there is little they can offer - unless we pay for it of course. You mention PEG feeding and possible choking episodes and they really get worried, saying their carers are not trained for that and we may need nursing care which is frightfully expensive. It is the old story, I have never claimed for anything and always saved and been careful, now we need help we can have it if we pay for it. The people who have not been so careful and have little savings get all the help with no questions. It is so unfair.

[miranda]

Check the MND website for a list of information leaflets.

Hello All
I think we could do with an up to date status of our rights and what we can claim for and it should be available on here!!
cheers
Darryl