Are You Over 65?
Do You Need Support with Personal Care, Taking Medication, or Shopping?
If the answer to this is Yes then you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people aged 65 or over with attention or supervision needs resulting from a mental or physical disability. Attendance allowance is not based on National Insurance Contributions (NICs), is not affected by savings or income and can be paid on top of other benefits if you are aged 65 or over, if you are under 65 you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment.
Attendance Allowance Rates
Attendance Allowance is paid at two weekly rates (2016 – 2017):
•Higher rate: £82.30 – To qualify you must meet both the day and the night conditions
•Lower rate: £55.10 – To qualify you must meet either the day or the night conditions
The allowance does not have to be spent on paying for care. It is up to you how you use it.
Qualifying Criteria
To qualify for Attendance Allowance you must:
•Be aged 65 or over
•Normally live in the UK and have lived here for at least 26 out of the last 52 weeks
•Not be subject to immigration control
•Not resident in certain types of accommodation (for example, hospital)
•Satisfy the “disability conditions” below
Disability Conditions
To qualify for Attendance Allowance you must:
•Be so severely disabled physically or mentally that you require help from another person
•Meet either the day or night conditions (it is not enough to partly fulfil both)
If you think you may be entitled and want more information please contact Karen Woldman on 218 5894 who will talk you through the process of how to apply. Please note that if you are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) you will not be eligible to apply.
