State pensioners with certain health conditions could claim extra financial support through Attendance Allowance.
Attendance Allowance is a Government benefit administered by the Department of Work and Pensions.
Eligible claimants can get up to £108.55 each week as the benefit is usually paid every four weeks.
The benefit is designed to help people of state pension age with daily living expenses which can help them stay independent in their own home for longer.
The amount someone can get depends on the level of support they need.
Attendance Allowance is administered to people of state pension age who have a long-term physical or mental condition or disability.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that at the end of November 2023, nearly 1.6 million older people were receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance, including over 140,000 living in Scotland.
Main health conditions providing support to older people across Great Britain, according to the Daily Record:
- Arthritis
- Spondylosis
- Back Pain
- Disease Of The Muscles, Bones or Joints
- Trauma to Limbs
- Visual Disorders and Diseases
- Hearing Disorders
- Heart Disease
- Respiratory Disorders and Diseases
- 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
Attendance Allowance is also supporting 44,894 people with a terminal illness.
Attendance Allowance is paid weekly at two different rates – the one someone will get depends on the level of help they need.
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested – what someone earns or how much they have in savings will not affect what they get.
The lower rate is worth £72.65. People may get this level of support if they need frequent help, constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night.
The higher rate is worth £108.55. People may get this level of support if they need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live.
Depending on if someone gets the higher or lower amount – they could get a total of either £290.60 or £434.20 every pay period – some £5,644.60 over the 2024/25 financial year.
Help might include assistance withpersonal care – for example getting dressed, eating or drinking, getting in and out of bed, bathing or showering and going to the toilet or help to stay safe.
People should also apply if they have difficulties with personal tasks, for example, if they take a long time, they experience pain or they need physical help, like a chair to lean on.
Attendance Allowance isn’t just for people with a physical disability or illness, people can apply if they have a mental health condition, learning difficulties or a sensory condition – if they are deaf or visually impaired.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The other benefits people get might increase if they get an Attendance Allowance, these include:
- Extra Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit Reduction
- Council Tax Reduction
To apply, pensioners will need:
- their National Insurance number
- their address and contact details
- details of the health condition or disability that they need extra help for
- details of their GP surgery or medical centre
For more information, applicants can visit the Government website.
