The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is urging pensioners to check their eligibility for Attendance Allowance, a benefit that can provide up to £5,959 per year without means testing. This means that savings and income do not affect the amount received.
What Is Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people of State Pension age who have a disability or health condition severe enough to require help with personal care or supervision. It is paid at two weekly rates: £76.70 for lower-level needs and £114.60 for higher-level needs. The full annual amount of £5,959 is available to those who qualify for the higher rate.
Eligibility Criteria
To claim Attendance Allowance, you must be of State Pension age and have a disability or physical or mental illness, including sight or hearing impairments and conditions like dementia. You must have needed help with personal care or supervision for at least six months, unless you are terminally ill, in which case you can claim immediately.
Age UK explains that the benefit is not means-tested and does not affect other benefits. In fact, it can help you qualify for additional support such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or council tax reduction.
Martin Lewis on Eligibility
On The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, financial expert Martin Lewis highlighted that a legal precedent from 1981 defines help as assistance with bodily functions including breathing, hearing, seeing, eating, drinking, walking, sitting, sleeping, getting in or out of bed, dressing, undressing, and eliminating waste. He noted that conditions like Parkinson's disease, physical disabilities, dementia, and terminal illness commonly qualify.
Lewis added that applications can be made on behalf of someone else if they are capable of understanding, or if you have Power of Attorney.
How to Claim
Pensioners can apply for Attendance Allowance through the Government website, which provides details on eligibility, payment rates, and the claims process. Nearly one million pensioners are reportedly missing out on this vital benefit, so checking eligibility is strongly encouraged.
