Martin Lewis says state pensioners with four medical conditions owed free £5,644

Martin Lewis has urged people with four common health conditions to come forward for free £5,644 payouts. The BBC Sounds and ITV star explained how people are missing out on Attendance Allowance, a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit.

“This is common for people with Parkinson’s, or physical disabilities, dementia or terminal illness and more," Mr Lewis said. “You can apply on someone else’s behalf as long as they are capable of understanding or you can sign it for them if you have Power of Attorney.”

“What defines help? Well the first one is help with daily living, and a famous old judge… in 1981 defined this and it still fits for today," he added. “This is help with bodily functions including breathing, hearing, seeing, eating, drinking, walking, sitting, sleeping, getting in or out of bed, dressing, undressing, eliminating waste products and the like.

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“All of which an ordinary person who is not suffering from any disabilities does for himself." Mr Lewis went on, saying: “That is the definition of help which is needed." He signed off by saying: “You can see the broad range of people who this would impact.”

In this week's Money Saving Expert newsletter, Mr Lewis said: "How you apply matters... It's best to call up and request an application form, as then claims are backdated to the day of that request (do it online and there's no backdating). When applying, do have your National Insurance number, GP prescriptions and hospital records handy, and fill in the form with as much detail as possible.

"Applying can be tricky, but there are organisations you can call for help, most people get it without needing to attend an assessment. Do read our full help to apply for Attendance Allowance, including how to appeal if rejected, and let us know how you do. Warning. Beware if you get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

"Both PIP and DLA are usually worth at least as much as, and often more than, AA and you can't get both. See our AA clashing benefits help. If you're not sure, get free benefits adviser help before doing owt if you're on these."