Five common conditions eligible for up to £5,740 DWP payment

People living with certain medical conditions may be eligible to claim a benefit worth more than £5,000 per year. Attendance Allowance, handed out by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is aimed at people of state pension age (currently 66) and over who have a disability or illness that impacts their daily life.

A host of conditions can qualify a person for the payment; however, the benefit is significantly underclaimed. Research published by Policy in Practice in December 2023 found that as many as 1.1 million eligible pensioners could be missing out. It attributed some of the missing claims for Attendance Allowance to people not being aware that it exists or how to apply for it. Zoe Charlesworth at Policy in Practice said: "Attendance Allowance is one of the most underclaimed benefits due to a lack of awareness. Billions of pounds in unclaimed support are shocking at any time, let alone during a cost-of-living crisis."

Five common conditions that current recipients claim Attendance Allowance for include:

• Asthma
• Arthritis
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Back pain (other/precise diagnosis not specified)
• Visual and hearing disorders.

However, the wider list includes at least 56 conditions, which can be found here.

What are the eligibility rules?

To claim Attendance Allowance, you must be over the state pension age (66) and have a disability or illness that impacts your daily life.

You must be in Great Britain when you claim, and have been in Great Britain for at least two of the last three years. You must also be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands.

Applicants must show they need assistance with personal care tasks, such as washing, dressing, eating and drinking, or require supervision for safety, either during the day or night. They must also have needed help for at least six months. However, those who are terminally ill can claim the benefit immediately.

A formal diagnosis is not required to apply; as long as you've experienced difficulties for six months due to their condition, you can claim.

However, it is important to note that you are not eligible for Attendance Allowance if you're already receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), or the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

How much is Attendance Allowance?

Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates, the lower rate and the higher rate. Payment rates are based on how much help is needed, not any current help the person does or doesn't get.

• Lower rate: £73.90 per week
• Higher rate: £110.40 per week.

People who need help during the day or at night could be eligible for the lower rate, whereas people who need help both during the day and at night or have a terminal illness could be eligible for the higher rate.

Those entitled to the highest rate can receive around £478.40 per month, which translates to around £5,740.80 per year.

The money doesn't need to be spent on care - it can be put towards other things, such as household bills. It also isn't a means-tested benefit, which means current savings or income won't affect the claim, nor will it impact other benefits received.

How to claim Attendance Allowance

To claim, people need to fill out an Attendance Allowance form, clearly outlining the help they need and the help they don't.

To pick up a form, people can either call the helpline on 0800 731 0122 or download it from the Government website. There's also a new tool to apply for the benefit online, which can also be found here.