DWP to pay £434 to people with common health conditions starting this week

Thousands of people could boost their income with monthly payments of up to £434 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The rates of Attendance Allowance are rising by 6.7 per cent from April 8.

Attendance Allowance is for people of State Pension age who have health conditions and need care. But it’s important to note that you don’t actually have to have someone caring for you to make a claim.

More than 1.5 million people already receive Attendance Allowance, including 147,000 in the West Midlands. Among those are 24,000 recipients in Birmingham, 10,000 in Dudley, nearly 9,000 in Sandwell, 8,000 in Walsall, 7,000 in Wolverhampton and just over 6,000 in Solihull.

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Arthritis, dementia and heart disease are the top conditions recorded for getting Attendance Allowance. In addition, a successful claim for Attendance Allowance can also mean you get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

If you live in a care home and your local council pays towards the costs, you aren’t usually eligible for Attendance Allowance. But if you pay all the costs yourself, you could still receive it.

Attendance Allowance payment rates

• Higher rate: £108.55 a week (from £101.75)
• Lower rate: £72.65 a week (from £68.10)

Attendance Allowance is paid every four weeks so recipients will get either £290.60 or £434.20 in their accounts under the new rates taking effect from April 2024.

The lower rate is for those who need frequent help or constant supervision during the day or supervision at night. The higher rate is paid to those needing help or supervision throughout both day and night or in cases where a medical professional has said they may have 12 months or less to live.

You can get Attendance Allowance to help with personal support if you are physically or mentally disabled, and of State Pension age or older. The following must apply (unless you have 12 months or less to live):

• you have a physical disability (including sensory disability such as blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or both
• your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety
• you have needed that help for at least six months

You can apply by printing out and submitting this Attendance Allowance claim form or by contacting the helpline on 0800 731 0122 to request a claim form. Send the completed form to Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance – that’s all that has to go on the envelope, it doesn’t need a postcode or stamp.

Age UK (0800 678 1602), Independent Age (0800 319 6789) and Citizens Advice can also offer assistance with a claim for Attendance Allowance and check what other help you may be entitled to receive.

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