Disability New Sevice: Mystery over shock fall in disability benefits paid to older people

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.c...-in-disability-benefits-paid-to-older-people/

 

I think we all know why.

 

A lot of elderly people are also not aware of the existence of AA (and that it is not means tested);
similarly for people with dementia there are a list of benefits they (or their carers) can claim, that they are eligible for including reduction in council tax (I think this can be retrospectively be claimed for).

As with most benefits there is no clear procedure for claiming and it is largely down to people to do their own research which is clearly a big obstacle for the disabled elderly and dementia sufferers.

https://www.dementiauk.org/living-with-dementia-know-your-benefits-entitlement/

"According to older people's charity Age UK, nearly three million people over 65 are struggling financially, while government figures show that 1.9m pensioners live below the poverty line. Despite this, the benefits targeted at older people are the most likely to go unclaimed."
"
David Samson, welfare benefits expert at the Turn2us benefits advice service, run by the Elizabeth Finn Trust, says that many pensioners are not aware of the financial support available to them. “For example, they may be getting their state pension but not be aware that they are entitled to pension credit,” he says. “The rules for pension credit are more generous than the rules for working people, so they may have an entitlement that they don’t realise.”

"It’s important to get the message out there as we know that claiming the correct benefits can make a huge difference to quality of life."

https://www.moneywise.co.uk/work-family/benefits/benefits-youre-entitled-to-over-65s

 

I wonder what's mysterious about it?

 

One for Miss Marple(?)