Attendance Allowance

That chimes as very true. AA stakeholder research session was interesting. Populated by people who thought that doing regular AA reviews would be viewed as a positive thing for claimants. The direction of travel is disturbing.

Our experiences echo pretty much all of the posts.

One very recent recent example DM rings client on receipt of the MR and on the DM’s advice i.e. you have not had enough falls (client has incurred injuries from falls) withdrew their MR.

Hi, I noticed this in our service, lots more AA refusals. I put in an FOI to check on % of AA claims refused, paid etc by quarter since April 2022. They responded to say they would have to charge me for that, but if I changed the request to % success etc from Oct 23 they might be able to provide it. Re-submitted and waiting for response.
This could just be that it is a narrower/more recent time so it is easier to check, but made me wonder if they only started gathering those stats from October

Yes, I’ve had a couple, both changed on either MR or Appeal but it is just so unusual to have AA refused at all (obviously unless someone is in really good health).

Had a couple of claims refused recently, claimants with cancer. First decision was overturned on MR within 2 days. Second one they have twice refused to take MR from client on basis that it is more than a month since the decision and there is ‘no such thing’ as a 13 month final deadline. On the second call they took a complaint about the refusal to take the MR on the first call but still refused to lodge the 2nd MR request

I have completely given up trying with telephone MR’s and now just use the CRM1

Saves time waiting on the phone and fruitless arguments with call handlers