HOW I SAVE…
I wrapped up warm and set off on my way to the nearby shopping centre.
It was a freezing cold morning in December and, as I stepped out on to the road, I slipped and cried out as I fell down hard on my hip.
Pain ripped through me, and passers-by ran to my aid.
My daughter was phoned and she rushed to my side.
After helping me into her car, she took me to hospital.
There, a scan showed I’d broken my hip.
I needed an operation, and it took me weeks to recover.
On top of that, I developed psoriasis, a condition that caused my skin to flake and peel.
It needed treating twice a day for a month by a carer, at a cost of £1000.
I also needed help from family to do ever yday chores, such as doing the laundr y and tidying my flat.
After explaining to a friend that I was struggling financially, they suggested I contact Age UK to find out if I might be entitled to any benefits.
I was thrilled to discover I was entitled to Attendance Allowance.
This is a benefit paid to those who have a disability severe enough to need someone to look after them. An Age UK advisor helped me with the necessar y paperwork, and weeks later, I received my first payment. It was £407 a month, and I felt like I’d won the lotter y.
I’d always been an active person. But after my fall, I struggled to even walk around. The money allowed me to pay the extra £60 a month I needed to move to a ground-floor flat.
