If you have an elderly family member or someone you know who is in receipt of the state pension, it’s worth checking to see if they are eligible for the Attendance Allowance. With the current high cost of living, it makes sense to be aware of what existing benefits already exist that they may be eligible for.

What is Attendance Allowance?

This is an important benefit for elderly people who need help to care for themselves. It’s worth up to £101.75 a week, and you don’t need to be hard-up to qualify. It is for people over state pension age who need help at home because of an illness or disability¹.

The Attendance Allowance isn’t taxable, so your savings or income won’t affect your claim, and according to Age UK², claiming also won’t affect any other benefits you may already receive. In fact, it can actually help you get other benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Reduction².

There are currently two rates of Attendance Allowance, which is payable every 4 weeks¹:

• Lower Rate – £68.10 per week – for those needing care during the day, or at night
• Higher Rate – £101.72 per week – for those needing care during the day and night, or who are terminally ill

The criteria for claiming Attendance Allowance is set out as follows¹:

• You’re over State Pension age (if you haven’t reached it, you may be eligible for Personal Independence Payment instead).
• You have any type of disability or physical or mental illness, including sight or hearing impairments and conditions such as dementia.
• You could benefit from help with personal care, such as getting washed or dressed, or supervision to keep you safe during the day or night.
• You have needed help for at least 6 months. But if you’re terminally ill you can make a claim straight away.

Where to find more information & arrange a claim

The Government have a dedicated web page for this benefit, where you can find out more about Attendance Allowance, how you can help an eligible relative to claim they amount they are due, together with a downloadable Claim Form, at https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance, or by telephone to 0800 731 0122.

Sources

1. Gov.uk (2024) Attendance Allowance. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance [Accessed 20 Mar 2024]
2. Age UK (2024) Attendance Allowance. Available at: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/attendance-allowance/ [Accessed 20 Mar 2024]

All the information in this article is correct as of the publish date 28^th March 2024. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. The information provided in this article, including text, graphics and images does not, and is not intended to, substitute advice; instead, all information, content and materials available in this article are for general informational purposes only. Information in this article may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.