Martin Lewis says over a million born before this year could be missing out on £3,800. The BBC and ITV star has issued a warning to those who were born before 1958 as they could be missing out on a whopping £3,800 each.
Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested weekly payment to help cover costs of pensioners (aged 66+) who need someone to ‘attend’ them. You can get it if you have a long-term health condition that means you need help with daily tasks. This includes sensory disabilities (such as blindness), or learning difficulties.
You must have needed help or supervision for at least six consecutive months, or have been told by a medical professional that you have 12 months or less to live. MSE explained: “Attendance Allowance is not means tested. This means your savings, investments and other assets are not taken into consideration when deciding your eligibility.”
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“The principle behind Attendance Allowance is to help you pay for the extra costs associated with needing daily care or supervision. However, you can use the allowance however you see fit. You won’t be taxed on any money you get from Attendance Allowance.
“Also, if you claim Attendance Allowance you’ll be exempt from the benefit cap, so claiming won’t reduce any of your other benefit entitlements. To be eligible for Attendance Allowance, you need to have been resident in the UK for at least two of the last three years (or 104 of the last 156 weeks).”
If you qualify for the 2024/2025 higher rate of Attendance Allowance, you’ll get £108.55 a week, £434.20 every four weeks and £5,644.60 a year. During 2023/2024, you would have got £101.75 a week, £407.00 every four weeks and £5,291 a year.
You can get Attendance Allowance if you’ve reached State Pension age and the following apply: you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition.