Attendance Allowance

If you are affected by a physical or mental disability, or perhaps by both, which results in you needing assistance with caring for yourself and you are over sixty-five years of age, you might be entitled to Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance is sometimes abbreviated to AA. You should be a UK resident and have lived in the UK for at least twenty-six weeks of the previous year. You can claim Attendance Allowance if you are living in a care home but you must pay your own fees. You must have needed assistance for at least six months before you qualify for Attendance Allowance, even if you have not been given the necessary assistance during this time. Assistance with caring for yourself means that you need help with one or all of the following:

• Washing yourself, and getting into and out of your bath / shower
• Dressing yourself
• Eating, and preparing your food
• Getting to the toilet / bedpan and using it
• Communicating
• Looking after yourself without being a danger to yourself or others

You might not need hands-on help but appreciate someone to supervise you or ensure you are cared for and safe. You may have to go for a medical test where the extent of your physical or mental limitations will be assessed. The Department for Work and Pensions will decide whether you qualify for Attendance Allowance or not. You will be awarded Attendance Allowance based on your personal situation: if you live alone, or live with someone else who may or may not also claim Attendance Allowance, the amount that you receive will not be affected.

You will not be entitled to Attendance Allowance if you can care for yourself personally but need help with other simple domestic tasks such as cooking, cleaning or buying shopping. You will also not be entitled if you are living in hospital.

There are two rates of Attendance Allowance. If you need help either during the day or during the night but not during both, or if you need help only when you are on dialysis for the treatment of kidney failure, you may be entitled to the Lower Rate Attendance Allowance. This is currently £43.15 a week. If you need help during the day and during the night you may qualify for the Higher Rate Attendance Allowance of £64.50 a week. You do not have to use the money to pay for a carer, you can choose to spend it on whatever you believe will help you best. Attendance Allowance is tax-free and is not based on your National Insurance record, nor is it means-tested (based on your income). Attendance Allowance will not affect any other benefits you receive, but it may qualify you to begin receiving other additional benefits.

If you are terminally ill and a doctor attests that you may die within six months, you will automatically be entitled to the Higher Rate of Attendance Allowance for a period of three years. If one of your relatives or friends is terminally ill, you can claim the benefit on their behalf; although the benefit will be paid to them, they do not have to know the details of the claim. This can help in cases where a terminally ill patient is reluctant to accept the reality of their condition.

To claim Attendance Allowance contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for help or contact the Benefit Enquiry Line direct on 0800 88 22 00. If you are a carer for someone who you believe qualifies you can claim it on their behalf. Attendance Allowance will be paid by direct debit into an account that you nominate when you claim the benefit. If you prefer it can also be sent to you as a cheque that you or your carer can cash at the Post Office®. You may be entitled to Attendance Allowance indefinitely, or only for a certain period of time. If you are entitled for a certain period of time only, you must claim Attendance Allowance again once this specified period approaches its end. You should be sent claim forms automatically, but if not then you are advised to contact the Benefit Enquiry Line once again.