Little known benefit rule could top up your state pension by £4,800 a year – check if you can get it
A LITTLE known benefit rule could top up your state pension payment by almost £5,000 a year.
Attendance Allowance is a benefit paid to people who need help with personal care because of an illness or disability.
You also have to be of state pension age, currently 66.
It is paid at two different rates and how much you get depends on your situation.
If you receive the highest amount it’s worth just over £4,800 a year.
But there could be potentially millions not claiming the benefit when they are eligible.
It was revealed earlier this year that as many as 3.4million people could be failing to claim Attendance Allowance when they are entitled to it.
What is Attendance Allowance and who is eligible?
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people who need help being cared for due to a disability or illness.
There are two rates you can receive it at – the lower rate and the higher rate, depending on the level or support you need.
The lower rate is worth £68.10 a week and the higher rate is worth £101.75 a week.
That means if you are receiving the higher rate you’ll be in line for £4,884 a year.
You can claim Attendance Allowance if you have reached state pension age, currently 66, and the following applies:
- you have a physical or mental disability, or both
- your disability is severe enough that you need help caring for yourself
- you have needed that help for at least six months (unless you’re terminally ill)
To receive the benefit you must also have been in Britain for at least two of the last three years, unless you are a refugee or have humanitarian protection status.
If you live in a care home but pay for it yourself, you can claim Attendance Allowance.
There are 57 categories of medical conditions you can claim with, but the most common ones are arthritis and dementia.
How can I claim Attendance Allowance?
To apply, you’ll need to download the Attendance Allowance form on the gov.uk website and then send it by post.
If you’re unable to print the form yourself, you can call the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 and ask for a copy to be sent to you.
It’s worth applying, especially as you may get extra pension credit and housing benefit or a council tax reduction if you receive attendance allowance.
The application form is very long and asks for a lot of personal information.
If you think you’ll need help filling in the form, you should get a friend, relative or adviser to help you complete it if possible.
Entitledto has a full list of organisations that can help with claiming disability benefits on its website.
If you want to know if you are receiving the right amount of benefits, you can a number of online calculators including on Turn2Us’ website and Entitledto’s.
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