Millions of people across the UK suffering from certain health conditions can get up to £5,740 a year from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from April.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has confirmed that Attendance Allowance, a benefit awarded by the DWP, will increase by 1.7 percent next year in line with the previous September rate of inflation.
The benefit is given to people of State Pension age who have a physical or mental disability, or health condition that’s severe enough that they need someone to help look after them.
Attendance Allowance is paid weekly at two different rates and the amount you’re entitled to depends on the level of care you need due to your disability or health condition. Currently these rates are:
£72.65 (lower rate) – given if you require frequent help or constant supervision during the day or at night.
£108.55 (higher rate) – given if you need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said you’re nearing the end of life
Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, confirmed these rates will rise by 1.7 percent from April 7, 2025, giving claimants an extra income boost. It means that from April 7 the new rates will be £73.90 (lower rate) and £110.40 (higher rate) per week.
As such, if you’re claiming the highest rate the maximum amount you could get over a full year is £5,740.80, while claimants on the lower rate could get £3,842.80 over the same period. The benefit isn’t means-tested so the amount you get won’t be affected by what you earn or how much you have in savings.
To qualify for Attendance Allowance, you must have reached State Pension age, have been in England, Scotland or Wales within the last two years, be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, and:
have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition
have a disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety
have needed help for at least six months
According to the DWP, there are 56 health conditions that may qualify for the benefit so if you suffer from any of these you might be entitled to make a claim:
Arthritis
Spondylosis
Back Pain – other/precise diagnosis not specified
Disease of the muscles, bones or joints
Trauma to limbs
Blindness
Deafness
Heart disease
Chest disease
Asthma
Cystic fibrosis
Cerebrovascular disease
Peripheral vascular disease
Epilepsy
Neurological diseases
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson’s disease
Motor neurone disease
Chronic pain syndromes
Diabetes mellitus
Metabolic disease
Traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia
Major trauma other than traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia
Learning difficulties
Psychosis
Psychoneurosis
Personality disorder
Dementia
Behavioural disorder
Alcohol and drug abuse
Hyperkinetic syndrome
Renal disorders
Inflammatory bowel disease
Bowel and stomach disease
Blood disorders
Haemophilia
Multi-system disorders
Multiple allergy syndrome
Skin disease
Malignant disease
Severely mentally impaired
Double amputee
Deaf/blind
Haemodialysis
Frailty
Total parenteral autrition
AIDS
Infectious diseases: Viral disease – coronavirus Covid-19
Infectious diseases: Viral disease – precise diagnosis not specified
Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – tuberculosis
Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – precise diagnosis not specified
Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – malaria
Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – other/precise diagnosis not specified
Infectious diseases – other/precise diagnosis not specified
Cognitive disorder – other/precise diagnosis not specified
Terminally ill
If you think you qualify you can apply for Attendance Allowance online via GOV.UK or by sending the Attendance Allowance claim form to Freepost, DWP Attendance Allowance. You can contact the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 for more information.
