Thousands of people over State Pension age with 10 common health conditions could be missing out on £470 per month
OVER one million people on State Pension are missing out on extra cash worth hundreds of pounds a month.
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for those with certain health conditions.
It’s paid on top of the State Pension, which is currently worth up to £221.20 per week.
Attendance Allowance is paid if you have a severe disability and need someone else to help look after you.
It’s paid at two different rates and how much you’ll get depends on the level of care that you need.
To apply, you need to be both over State Pension age (currently 66) and either physically or mentally disabled.
You get £72.65 per week if you need frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night.
You get a higher rate of £108.55 a week if you need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or if you’re terminally ill.
According to Policy in Practice, 1.1million people are failing to claim a collective £5.2billion each year.
Payments are worth up to £5,644.60 a year – an amount that could boost your State Pension payments by as much as 50%.
Which health conditions qualify for Attendance Allowance?
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) data shows that at the end of February 2024, some 1.7million older people were claiming Attendance Allowance.
The highest number of people claiming the benefit are those living with arthritis.
Dementia and heart disease are the next most common conditions that people claiming the benefit have.
Here are the 10 most common illnesses that lead people to claim Attendance Allowance, and the number of people claiming:
- Arthritis – 460,993
- Dementia – 167,366
- Heart Disease – 118,570
- Respiratory Conditions – 98,211
- Disease Of The Muscles, Bones or Joints – 81,914
- Cerebrovascular Disease -72,870
- Back Pain – 71,020
- Visual Disorders and Diseases – 49,677
- Parkinson’s disease – 42,695
- Neurological Conditions – 33,812
It is important to remember that even if you do not have one of the above illnesses, you could still be entitled to claim.
It’s also worth noting that just because you have one of these health conditions it doesn’t mean you automatically qualify, as it depends on the severity.
You could be eligible if the following apply, according to the DWP:
- You have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or both
- Your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety
- You have needed that help for at least six months
You are still entitled to your State Pension as usual if you claim Attendance Allowance.
Claiming Attendance Allowance could also mean that you qualify for more help, such as housing benefit, Pension Credit or a council tax reduction.
You can check if you qualify for Attendance Allowance and other help using a benefits calculator. The Sun has one powered by Turn2Us.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
In Scotland, a new benefit called Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance.
You can find out more at www.mygov.scot/pension-age-disability-payment.
How do I claim Attendance Allowance?
You need to apply by post and you can download a form from the government website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/attendance-allowance-claim-form
Return it to: Attendance Allowance Unit, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton WV98 2AD.
If you’re unable to print the form yourself, you can call the helpline on 0800 731 0122 and ask for a copy to be sent to you.
You’ll usually need your National Insurance number and proof of ID like a birth certificate or passport.
If you think you’ll need help filling in the form, you should get a friend, relative or adviser to help you complete it if possible.
There is help available from:
- Citizens Advice: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/ or 0800 144 8848 in England and 0800 702 2020 in Wales.
- AgeUK: www.ageuk.org.uk/services/age-uk-advice-line/ or 0800 678 1602
- CarersUK: www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/helpline-and-other-support/ 0808 808 7777