Scrapping Attendance Allowance will hit families hard

Apr 1 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

Scrapping Attendance Allowance will hit families hard

ONE of those who could be hit hard if Attendance Allowance is scrapped is 71-year-old David Douglas from Ladywell in Livingston.

David has looked after his wife Rita, (80), for the last 12 years following a cancer operation.

Between them they recieve £110 a week and David said if they lost that money he wouldn’t be able to heat the house.

And he added that if they were to lose Attendance Allowance it would cost the council a lot more to pay someone to come in and look after his wife.

David said: “Rita can do very little for herself but we still have her here which is the main thing.

“If you don’t get Attendance Allowance then you don’t get Carer’s Allowance. If I didn’t get that then I would have to rely on family and the council to supply a carer and it would probably end up costing them more.

“The council say they have no money and are looking to cut costs but they would have to find it somewhere if the Government takes the allowance money away.

“This is a big concern to us both and I’m very worried about it. This would have a big impact on our lives.

“I get £40 a week and Rita gets £70 a week and that would be a lot of money to lose. Without it I wouldn’t be able to heat the house.

“Because she is housebound Rita needs the heating on 24 hours a day in the winter.

“We have seven kids and 35 grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren but they have their own lives to lead. I have a helper who comes and assists me with her occasionally but I have to pay her out my own pocket.

“It’s hard work helping her in and out of the bath but she’s a proud woman and doesn’t want anyone else other than me to help her with that.

“This money is vital to us and if they get rid of it then it will affect hundreds of people in West Lothian. They need to look at it again.”