Currently, Britons who have reached state pension age may be eligible for Attendance Allowance to help with the financial costs that arise from having a long-term health condition or illness. In the UK, the state pension age is 66 but this is expected to rise in the future.
Pension Age Disability Payment will replace Attendance Allowance for some 124,192 existing claimants in Scotland and all new applications for people resident in Scotland only.
Britons claiming Attendance Allowance will transfer automatically from the DWP to Social Security Scotland in stages.
People receiving the financial support in England and Wales will not be affected and will continue to receive regular payments from the DWP.
The new Pension Age Disability Payment will support older people who have a disability which results in the need for additional assistance, or supervision to keep them safe.
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Social Security Scotland have not yet set out a timetable for the rollout of the Pension Age Disability Payment.
However, full transfer of benefits from the DWP is expected to be completed by 2025.
Social Security Scotland will provide the same rate of all forms of Disability Assistance as the current rate of the equivalent UK disability benefit, in this case, Attendance Allowance, and will increase the payment in line with inflation each year.
Based on the current 2022/2023 rates the weekly amounts of Pension Age Disability Payment will be:
- Lower rate – £61.85
- Higher rate – £92.40
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Social Security Scotland has already introduced a devolved benefit which replaced Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people in Scotland.
More than 300,000 claimants are also being transferred automatically from DWP to Social Security Scotland.
PIP is being replaced with Adult Disability Benefit in Scotland. The move is said to be completed by 2025.
Under current DWP rules, Attendance Allowance claimants must be of state pension age or older, have had their disability or condition for at least six months and be in receipt of extra care.
The Government website states state pensioners with a physical disability, a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or both can qualify for the benefit.
The amount someone gets is dependent on the severity of their condition.
Britons can claim Attendance Allowance if they need help with personal care, such as getting washed or dressed, need supervision to keep them safe during the day or night, or have any type of disability or illness.
An eligible state pensioner who is suffering from a severe health condition or illness would get £369.60 each month from the higher amount of Attendance Allowance.
As the cost of living crisis continues, any extra cash could be vital for people on low incomes.
Britons can find more information about Attendance Allowance on the Government website.
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