People over State Pension age with a long-term health condition could be due up to £434 each month
15.05.2024 - 05:57
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that at the end of August 2023, more than 1.5 million older people were receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance, including over 136,200 living in Scotland. This is a significant increase of 36,061 on the number of people claiming the non-means tested benefit in the previous quarter, ending in May 2023.
Attendance Allowance is worth either £72.65 (lower rate) or £108.55 (higher rate) each week and as the benefit is usually paid every four weeks, this amounts to either £290.60 or £434.20 every pay period - some £5,644.60 over the 2024/25 financial year.
How much someone receives depends on the level of support needed and the benefit is designed to help people of State Pension age with daily living expenses which can also help them stay independent in their own home for longer.
The benefit supports people with a disability, long-term illness and mental or physical health issues. The list of conditions supported through Attendance Allowance is long, but the most common disabling condition - an umbrella term used by the DWP - is arthritis, which provides support for 435,340 people across Great Britain, including 39,735 in Scotland.
Below is everything you need to know about Attendance Allowance including the main health conditions being claimed, eligibility and how to make a claim.
The conditions listed below are sourced from information recorded on the DWP’s Attendance Allowance computer system.
It’s important to note this list is not a checklist for claiming Attendance Allowance, it is intended to help people understand what type of conditions are being supported. However, if you need extra support during the day or night