Martin Lewis says pensioners could be missing out on £5,644 DWP benefit - and it's not means tested
by Sonia Sharma · ChronicleLiveConsumer guru Martin Lewis is urging pensioners to check if they are eligible for up to £5,644 a year through a benefit that is not means tested.
In the latest Money Saving Expert newsletter, Martin says Attendance Allowance is "massively under-claimed" and warns that up to 1.1 million eligible pensioners could be missing out on the cash. Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
How much you get depends on the level of care you need. The DWP states that the payment is not means-tested - what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.
In his newsletter, Martin shared the story of Andrea, who managed to get a £1,259 lump sum as well as a regular monthly payment. Andrea said: "Following your advice re: Attendance Allowance, I submitted my application in June and within 2 weeks I was thrilled when I received a £1,259 lump sum backdated 3 months.
"I now get £290 every four weeks, which helps to pay for my mobility needs. I do not have extreme needs, so never thought I'd qualify, but I do. Thanks for all your work."
Get all the latest money news and budgeting tips from Chronicle Live with our free newsletter
Attendance Allowance is paid at two different rates, depending on your needs. It does not cover mobility needs. You could get £72.65 or £108.55 a week to help with personal support if both of the following apply:
- you have a physical disability, a mental disability, or a health condition
- you’re State Pension age or older
If you need help during the day or night, you could get the lower rate of £73 a week (£3,778 a year). If you need help during both the day and night, you get the higher rate of £109 a week (£5,644 a year). Those who have less than 12 months to live get the higher rate of £109 a week.
More advice is available through Money Saving Expert here. And full details, including eligibility and how to claim, are available here.
Join our WhatsApp communities
ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities.
We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all!
To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.
Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community
Join our Court & Crime community
Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community
Join our Northumberland community
Join our County Durham community
Join our Great North Run community