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Over a million people could be missing out on a benefit worth as much as £5,300 a year. Approximately 1.9 million people currently receive Attendance Allowance, based on Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) statistics. Attendance Allowance supports individuals with disabilities or serious health conditions that require assistance with daily care, providing financial help towards additional expenses. The benefit operates on a two-tier system, with payments determined by the level of support needed. Despite nearly two million people reportedly claiming this support, research by Policy in Practice and MoneySavingExpert suggests many eligible individuals remain unaware of their entitlement.
The study highlights that over 1.1 million households of pensionable age could be forgoing £5.2 billion in Attendance Allowance annually. The research emphasises that additional financial support for disability-related costs can have a “significant” impact on pensioners’ lives, with Attendance Allowance awards reaching up to £5,306 yearly. Eligible individuals can claim either the standard rate of £73.90 or the enhanced rate of £110.40 weekly, provided they have physical or mental disabilities or health conditions and have reached State Pension age. Attendance Allowance excludes mobility expenses, whilst Scotland operates an alternative benefit scheme.
Recipients of Attendance Allowance may also qualify for additional Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or council tax reductions. Recipients of Attendance Allowance are not required to have a carer, although they must have needed assistance for at least six months.
Eligibility for the lower rate necessitates that an applicant requires frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or needs to be supervised at night. To qualify for the higher rate, an individual must require help or supervision throughout both the day and night.
They would also be eligible if a healthcare professional has indicated that they are nearing the end of their life. Claimants typically need to be UK residents, with the exception being members of the Armed Forces and their family members.
Recipients must have resided in Britain for at least two of the previous three years and be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Eligibility also stipulates that an applicant should not be subject to immigration control unless they are a sponsored migrant.
Furthermore, applicants are not eligible to receive any of the following: Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
Those living in a care home usually do not receive the benefit if their care is funded by the council. However, if they cover their own costs, it is possible to claim. According to DWP guidelines, applicants are only required to undergo an eligibility check if it’s unclear how their disability or health condition affects them.
Those who do need to be assessed should receive a letter detailing the reasons and location for the assessment. A medical professional will conduct the examination as part of the process.
Any changes in circumstances must be reported to the Attendance Allowance helpline, as this could result in an increase or decrease in the allowance amount. The helpline can be reached at 0800 731 0122.
Here’s how to apply for Attendance Allowance:
Applications can be made online or via post. For online applications, the applicant needs to provide their National Insurance number, address and contact details, information about their disability or health condition, details of their GP surgery or medical centre, and details of any care home, hospital or hospice they are currently residing in.
To apply by post, print and send the completed Attendance Allowance claim form from the DWP website to: Freepost, DWP Attendance Allowance. Alternatively, you can request a claim form by contacting the helpline.
After submitting a claim, applicants should expect to be contacted either by phone or through a letter within three weeks, informing them of when to expect a decision.
Once a decision has been made, they will receive a letter explaining the outcome. If the application is successful, they will be informed of when to expect the first payment.
For those applying online, the start date of their claim will be set as the date the claim was made. For postal applications, the claim will commence on the date the form is received by the DWP.
Claims approved via the helpline should commence from the date of the call, provided the form is returned within six weeks.
