BRITS over state pension age suffering from a medical condition may be entitled to thousands of pounds a year in benefits.
The help comes through the attendance allowance, which is designed to help with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough you need someone to look after you.
Depending on the care you need there are two different rates available. Both are paid weekly.
The lower rate is £61.85, which you get if you receive frequent help or constant supervision during the day or supervision at night.
The higher rate is £92.40, which you get if you need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has told you you might have six months or less to live.
Over a whole year, the higher rate benefit adds up to just over £4,800 – so putting in a claim could be worth your while.
Read more in Money
Energy bills to rocket to £3.5K a year as price-cap hike confirmed
Halifax and Lloyds Bank down for SECOND day leaving customers locked out again
What you get may go up or down if your circumstances change though, and any changes should be reported to the Department for Work and Pensions.
You could also get extra pension credit, housing benefit or a council tax reduction if you get attendance allowance as well.
You should check with the helpline or office dealing with the specific benefit to see if you're eligible.
Am I eligible?
You can claim attendance allowance if you're over state pension age and you have one of a number of ailments. They are listed below.
Most read in Money
Halifax and Lloyds Bank down for SECOND day leaving customers locked out again
Millions won't be able to pay bills by January – your questions answered
Energy bills to rocket to £3.5K a year as price-cap hike confirmed
B&M is selling festive favourite – and shoppers are all saying the same thing
You also need to have been receiving help for at least six months, although if you're terminally ill you can make a claim straightaway.
The full list of health conditions that help you qualify for attendance allowance are:
- 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
- Parkinsons 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 Syndrome
- Skin 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
To make a successful claim, you must be in Great Britain at the time of the claim, although there are some exceptions, and you must also have been in Great Britain for at least two of the preceding three years.
This second rule does not apply it you're a refugee or have humanitarian protection status.
You must be "habitually present", or physically present, in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Island and can't be subject to immigration control, unless you're a sponsored immigrant.
You might be able to get attendance allowance if you're a UK national living in or moving to the EU, European Economic Area or Switzerland.
For more details, you should read the government's guidance.
If you live in a care home which is paid for by the local authority, you won't be eligible for the attendance allowance.
However, if you pay for your care costs you will be eligible.
How do I claim?
To claim, you simply have to fill in the attendance allowance claim form to apply by post.
You should address the form to "Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance". You don't need a postcode or a stamp.
If you want a copy of the form or are having difficulties filling out the claim, you can call the attendance allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122.
The phone line is open from Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm
Attendance allowance can be backdated to the date you made your claim.
Read More on The Sun
Tattooist shows off freckles she gave to a client… but people are horrified
Strictly ‘in chaos over schedule clash leaving bosses fearing backlash’
This will usually be the date your form is received, or the date you call the inquiry line.
But you have to have returned the claim form within six weeks to get the backdated payments.
Source: Read Full Article