Scot pensioners told to hand back cash in 'free care' row

'Hundreds of Scottish pensioners in residential homes are being asked to hand back years of infirmity benefit by Whiteall’s Disability and Carers Service (DCS).

It wants to track down pensioners who it says are receiving up to £60.60 a week in attendance allowance while being helped under the Scottish executive's "free care for the elderly" scheme.

The DCS, run by the Department of Work and Pensions, decided in 2001 that attendance allowance - which is worth either £40.55 a week or £60.60 a week depending on the level of infirmity - was not due to those who would receive free personal care in the new Scottish system.'

from the Scotsman @ http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/ (subscription site)

I would be surprised if it was 'hundreds'. The only ones who should be affected are those who are/were full payers at the time they claimed Free Personal Care. Those already receiving Local Authority funding would already have lost their AA/DLA as they were in care.

When FPC was introduced it was certainly clear that claiming FPC would lead to cessation of AA/DLA, and in the vast majority of cases the person was better off claiming the FPC as it was worth more financially and meant that their capital reduced at a slower rate. Of the top of my head I think the FPC was worth about £135.

I don't doubt there will be some cases where residents have claimed FPC and kept their benefit entitlement.

(There may also be an issue about the advice such residents received from their Social Work Department at the time FPC was introduced.)

Response from
Care of Older People Division St Andrew’s House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DGTelephone: 0131-244 3721Fax: 0131-244
_____ _____
Dear Mr Sinclair

Thank you for your email of 5 September. I have been asked to reply as this branch has responsibility for the policy of Free Personal and Nursing Care.

Although people over 65 who live at home are entitled to personal care services without charge from their local authority, or to receive direct payments to allow them to purchase these services themselves, if they subsequently move into care homes and receive Free Personal Care payments of £145 per week, their entitlement to these benefits ceases after 28 days. They are expected to notify DWP themselves so that payments can stop.

For further information on this I have to refer you to the DWP helpline on 08457 123456.

Yours sincerely




Fiona March