State pensioners with certain health conditions or disabilities are being handed a payment boost of up to £218 per year with one Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit from April. People of State Pension age who have care needs due to a health condition or disability can get help with extra living costs by claiming Attendance Allowance.
The DWP benefit is paid at two different rates (currently £73.90 per week or £110.40 per week), with the amount you get depending on how much care you need. The lower rate is awarded to those who need frequent help or constant supervision during day or at night, while the higher rate is given to those who need help or supervision throughout the day and night, or if a medical professional has said you’re nearing the end of life.
The DWP has confirmed that both the lower and higher Attendance Allowance rate will rise from April, with the increase set to give some a boost of £218.40 extra per year.
Attendance Allowance is paid every four weeks, so claimants get 13 payments in total throughout the year from the DWP.
Under the current rates, pensioners on the lower rate can get up to £3,842.80 per year, while those on the higher rate can get up to £5,740.80 per year.
But from April, the lower rate will rise from £73.90 per week to £76.70, giving claimants up to £3,988.40 annually – a boost of £145.60 extra per year.
As for the higher rate, payments will rise from £110.40 per week to £114.60 from April, amounting to £5,959.20 per year – a boost of £218.40 extra annually.
Attendance Allowance is paid to those who are eligible in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but if you live in Scotland you will need to apply for Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) instead which is paid at exactly the same rate.
To qualify for either Attendance Allowance or PADP you must have reached State Pension age AND all of the following apply:
While there isn’t a definitive list of health conditions that qualify for Attendance Allowance and PADP, the DWP does have a list of 56 main disabling conditions recorded on its Disability Living Allowance computer system.
If you have one of these conditions you may be likely to qualify for up to £5,740.80 worth of annual support, but it is important to note that this is not a checklist for qualifying for Attendance Allowance or PAPD, it is simply an overview of the type of conditions that are being supported. The conditions include:
