Some 3.4 million people who have reached state pension age aren’t claiming Attendance Allowance despite having a disability or health condition that affects their everyday lives. Attendance Allowance is one of the many benefits that will see a payment rate uplift in the new tax year, which will see some claimants receiving hundreds more.
Currently, the benefit can be worth up to £400.40 a month at its highest rate, equating to £4,804.80 per year.
But from April, the rate will be worth even more as many benefits will rise in line with September 2022’s 10.1 percent inflation rate, bringing the highest payment up to around £441 a month and a much more significant £5,291 a year.
It’s the most underclaimed benefit according to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) yet at least 56 health conditions typically qualify.
As the cost of living crisis continues, Britons are urged to check they a receiving all the benefits they are eligible for as any extra financial support could be vital for households on low incomes.
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Attendance Allowance is paid to pensioners over the state pension age of 66 who are physically or mentally disabled.
While there is no specific condition that guarantees financial support, the DWP has previously named 56 conditions that usually mean someone would qualify.
These include asthma, respiratory conditions, depression, arthritis, loss of vision, back pain, and dementia.
Who is eligible for Attendance Allowance?
Individuals can get Attendance Allowance if they’ve reached state pension age, have a physical disability and/or a mental disability which is severe enough for someone to need help caring for themselves or someone to supervise them, for their own or someone else’s safety.
The form comes with notes telling someone how to fill it in.
At least 56 health conditions qualify for Attendance Allowance worth nearly £5,000 a year including:
- Arthritis
- Spondylosis
- Back Pain – Other / Precise Diagnosis not Specified
- Disease of The Muscles, Bones or Joints
- Trauma to Limbs
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Heart disease
- Chest disease
- Asthma
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Cerebrovascular Disease
- Peripheral vascular Disease
- Epilepsy
- Neurological Diseases
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Motor Neurone Disease
- Chronic Pain Syndromes
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Metabolic Disease
- Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia
- Major Trauma Other than Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia
- Learning Difficulties
- Psychosis
- Psychoneurosis
- Personality Disorder
- Dementia
- Behavioural Disorder
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- Hyperkinetic syndrome
- Renal Disorders
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Bowel and Stomach Disease
- Blood Disorders
- Haemophilia
- Multi System Disorders
- Multiple Allergy SyndromeSkin Disease
- Malignant Disease
- Severely Mentally impaired
- Double Amputee
- Deaf/Blind
- Haemodialysis
- Frailty
- Total Parenteral Nutrition
- AIDS
- Infectious diseases: Viral disease – Coronavirus covid-19
- Infectious diseases: Viral disease – precise diagnosis not specified
- Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – Tuberculosis
- Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – precise diagnosis not specified
- Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – Malaria
- Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – other / precise diagnosis not specified
- Infectious diseases – other / precise diagnosis not specified
- Cognitive disorder – other / precise diagnosis not specified
- Terminally Ill.
Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates, the lower rate and the higher rate.
The amount eligible claimants receive is calculated based on how much help is needed, not any current help the person does or doesn’t get.
The new lower and higher payment rates that will come into effect in April are as follows:
Lower rate: £68.10 per week (up from £61.85)
Higher rate: £101.75 per week (up from £92.40).
People who need help during the day or at night could be eligible for the lower rate, whereas people who need help during both the day and at night or have a terminal illness, could be eligible for the higher rate.
If circumstances change, the amount people get from Attendance Allowance may go up or down.
Individuals could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if they give wrong information or do not report a change in their circumstances.
For more information, people can visit the Government website.
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