Older people who are living with certain medical conditions could be entitled to an extra £369 each month on top of their state pension.
Attendance Allowance is a benefit designed to help cover your costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
There are two different rates, depending on the level of care needed, reports the Daily Record.
The lower rate is worth £61.85 each week, while the higher rate comes in at £92.40 each week.
Over four weeks, that means you could get £247.40, or £369.60.
You can claim Attendance Allowance if you’re over state pension age and you have a physical or mental disability.
There are more than 50 categories of medical conditions that may qualify you for extra support, including arthritis and dementia.
See the full list below to check if you might be eligible.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show roughly 1.4million people claim Attendance Allowance in the UK.
Have you had trouble claiming Attendance Allowance? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
Medical categories that could qualify you for Attendance Allowance
The full list of categories where you might be able to claim Attendance Allowance are:
- Arthritis
- Spondylosis
- Back Pain – Other / Precise Diagnosis not Specified
- Disease of The Muscles, Bones or Joints
- Trauma to Limbs
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Heart disease
- Chest disease
- Asthma
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Cerebrovascular Disease
- Peripheral vascular Disease
- Epilepsy
- Neurological Diseases
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinsons Disease
- Motor Neurone Disease
- Chronic Pain Syndromes
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Metabolic Disease
- Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia
- Major Trauma Other than Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia
- Learning Difficulties
- Psychosis
- Psychoneurosis
- Personality Disorder
- Dementia
- Behavioural Disorder
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- Hyperkinetic Syndrome
- Renal Disorders
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Bowel and Stomach Disease
- Blood Disorders
- Haemophilia
- Multi System Disorders
- Multiple Allergy Syndrome
- Skin Disease
- Malignant Disease
- Severely Mentally impaired
- Double Amputee
- Deaf/Blind
- Haemodialysis
- Frailty
- Total Parenteral Nutrition
- AIDS
- Infectious diseases: Viral disease - Coronavirus covid-19
- Infectious diseases: Viral disease - precise diagnosis not specified
- Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – Tuberculosis
- Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – precise diagnosis not specified
- Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – Malaria
- Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – other / precise diagnosis not specified
- Infectious diseases - other / precise diagnosis not specified
- Cognitive disorder - other / precise diagnosis not specified
- Terminally Ill
It’s important to note that this list is not a checklist for claiming Attendance Allowance, it is intended to help people understand what type of conditions are being supported.
You usually need to have needed help with your condition for more than six months to get the benefit, but this is waived if you're terminally ill.
You don't need to have a carer in order to claim. You can't get Attendance Allowance if you live in a care home and your care is paid for by your local authority.
How much could I get on Attendance Allowance?
You could receive £61.85 if you need help during the day or at night or £92.40 if you need help during the day and at night, or if you are terminally ill.
The benefit is paid every four weeks, which means you could receive either £247.40 or £369.60 every pay period.
The idea of the cash is that it should be put towards helping you stay independent in your own home for longer.
This might include:
Paying for taxis
Helping towards bills
Paying for a cleaner or gardener
Can I claim Attendance Allowance even if I have savings and other income?
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested - this means it doesn't matter what other money you have coming in or how much you have in savings either.
It is also tax-free and you will be exempt from the benefit cap so you won't have money taken away from any other benefits.
In fact, it can actually help you get other benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Reduction.
What about if I claim other benefits?
You won't be able to get Attendance Allowance if you already get PIP or DLA to pay for your care.
If you apply for Attendance Allowance while getting DLA, the DWP will usually reassess your DLA award instead.
You can renew your PIP or DLA when the existing award ends as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria.
If your renewal is unsuccessful you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead.
Can I claim Attendance Allowance if I have a carer?
You don't need to have a carer in order to claim Attendance Allowance.
However, if you do have someone looking after you, they might qualify for Carer’s Allowance.
You can't get Attendance Allowance if you live in a care home and your care is paid for by your local authority.
Will Attendance Allowance affect my state pension?
No, it won't affect your state pension and you can even claim it if you're still working and earning money.
How do I make a claim?
You will need to complete a long claim form when you apply for Attendance Allowance.
It might seem daunting at first but help is available from your nearest Citizens Advice, so don't let the form put you off applying.
Full details of how to get the application form by post or over the phone can be found on the Gov.uk website here.
