[Escapee]

My mother phoned me earlier, apparently their pension income is 75 pence per week over the threshold to claim the heating allowance.

My fathers health is poor and they are not the type to attempt to get handouts, but this has annoyed them so much they are going to apply for attendance allowance.

My mother attends classes at the local adult education establishment, and she is aware that many of them in the class receive attendance allowance. When asked they usually become defensive and say it's because someone puts their bins out for them etc. She's really annoyed because the majority of these people receiving the attendance allowance are fit enough for foreign holidays etc.

They had a similar problem when my father lost his DLA and my wife persuaded them to appeal, as they didn't want to make a fuss. My father actually ended up having his benefits increased. They were annoyed then because they knew examples of people receiving DLA who were able to walk up Pen y fan, but my father would struggle to make it the length of the car park.

The benefits system has always been rigged in favour of those who know how to work it.