Guide to disability related expenses

Mr Jones is a 75-year-old man who lives on his own in his bungalow which he rents from a local housing association. Mr Jones has mobility issues; he is prone to falls and he is sometimes unable get himself out of his armchair. He is incontinent and he washes his clothes and bedding frequently. Mr Jones has not been seen by the Incontinence Clinic yet. Although Mr Jones lives alone, he has an active social life by attending day services and regularly meeting friends and family. He receives Attendance Allowance and his total weekly income is £350.

Mr Jones has claimed the following items and amounts:

1. Community alarm - £4.48 per week
2. Electricity costs - £13 per week
3. Incontinence items - £3.75 per week
4. Domestic cleaner - £30 per month
5. Gardener - £250 per year
6. Water costs - £130 per quarter
7. Mobile telephone - £10 per month

This is how the DRE Team calculated his DRE amount:

1. Mr Jones provided the name of his community alarm provider and we checked our records to find the weekly cost. £4.48 per week has been allowed as DRE.
2. The average household cost of electricity for someone with Mr Jones' weekly income is £11.40 per week. As Mr Jones pays more than this, the difference is allowed. £13 minus £11.40 equals £1.60. £1.60 per week has been allowed as DRE.
3. Mr Jones has not been seen by the Incontinence Clinic but he has been referred. £3.75 per week has been allowed as DRE but only for 6 months while he is waiting to be seen.
4. The DRE Team first work out what the weekly cost of Mr Jones' domestic cleaner is. £30 per month times by 12 months equals £360 per year. £360 divided by 52 equals £6.92. £6.92 per week has been allowed as DRE.
5. The DRE Team will allow a weekly cost for Mr Jones' gardener in the same way the weekly cost of the cleaner was calculated. £250 per year divided by 52 weeks equals £4.81 per week.
6. The DRE Team first work out how much Mr Jones pays for his water per week. £150 per quarter times by 4 quarters equals £600 per year. £600 per year divided by 52 weeks equals £11.54 per week. The average household cost for someone with Mr Jones' level of income is £9 per week and as this is lower than what Mr Jones pays, the difference can be included. £11.54 minus £9 equals £2.54. £2.54 per week has been allowed as DRE.
7. As Mr Jones is not socially isolated, the DRE Team would not class the mobile phone costs as DRE because it is a choice to own a mobile phone and someone would have to pay for it whether they had a disability or not.

This means that Mr Jones DRE amount is:

• Community Alarm - £4.48 per week
• Electricity costs - £1.60 per week
• Incontinence items - £3.75 per week
• Domestic cleaner - £6.92 per week
• Gardener - £4.81 per week
• Water - £2.54 per week
• Mobile telephone - £0 per week

Total DRE amount allowed - £24.10 per week