How to rise up to £102 per week in Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance is a vital profit for aged individuals who need assistance caring for themselves.

It’s price both £68.10 or £101.75 per week, and you do not have to be hard-up to qualify.

It is for individuals over state pension who need assistance at dwelling due to an sickness or incapacity.

Benefit consultants imagine many individuals fail to assert Attendance Allowance, as they could be unaware of the funds or imagine they’re means-tested.

Anyone who applies has to fill in an in depth 30-page type about how effectively they will address primary actions, like transferring round the home and going to the bathroom.

We clarify extra concerning the profit beneath, the place you may flip for assist, how finest to convey any day by day struggles on the shape, and different practicalities concerned in making an software.

An skilled profit entitlements adviser, Aleks Clayton of retirement growth supplier McCarthy Stone, additionally presents tips about making a profitable software.

Clayton, who helps the agency’s residents with claims, has knowledgeable data on methods to full the shape and offers instance solutions to point out the sorts of day by day difficulties and medical issues that would qualify you for the profit.

Applying for Attendance Allowance: Getting began

The Government has extra details about Attendance Allowance right here and the declare type is right here. You can even name its helpline on 0800 731 0122

Attendance Allowance is for people who find themselves over state pension age and there are two charges. Which one you get, if both, depends upon the seriousness of your care wants.

Here are the Government’s descriptions of what degree of assist it is advisable qualify for them – notice that it is advisable report any change in your circumstances.

£68.10 (£72.65 from April) Frequent assist or fixed supervision throughout the day, or supervision at evening

£101.75 (108.55 from April) Help or supervision all through each day and evening, or a medical skilled has stated you might need 12 months or much less to reside

If you might have  a 12 months or much less to reside, you will get Attendance Allowance extra rapidly. You or another person nonetheless must fill within the type, but in addition ask a health care provider or medical skilled for type SR1. They may give it again to you to submit your self, or ship it straight to the Department for Work and Pensions.

If awarded, Attendance Allowance is normally paid each 4 weeks right into a financial institution, constructing society or credit score union account.

People aged below 66 can apply for the Personal Independence Payment as a substitute, and under-16s for the Disability Living Allowance.

The system works in a different way In Scotland, and you’ll find out extra at Mygov.scot. If you reside in Northern Ireland, go to NI Direct.

If you might be aged and need assistance and assist with an Attendance Allowance declare or different advantages like pension credit score, you may wish to contact Age UK’s free helpline on 0800 678 1602.

Its workers may also help you test you might be getting all the pieces you might be entitled to, and enable you to make a declare. Check Age UK’s assist web page on Attendance Allowance.

Here are another sources of assist with Attendance Allowance.

Carers UK

Citizens Advice

Turn2us

Parkinson’s UK

Macmillan Cancer Support

Tips on making a profitable Attendance Allowance declare

Aleks Clayton has labored at retirement growth supplier McCarthy Stone since 2015 and has intensive expertise serving to individuals with profit claims in her present and former roles.

She says earlier than you begin, take the time to learn by all of the questions absolutely – not simply the daring print – and likewise the notes that include the Attendance Allowance type.

Clayton provides which you could ask household or associates or a charity that can assist you fill within the type if wanted, and you must test it over and make a duplicate earlier than sending it. Here are her ideas.

1. Be open about your well being issues

Set out your well being state of affairs and difficulties with day by day residing clearly, giving element about any particular situations – bodily or psychological.

There could also be day by day residing actions that you simply battle with specifically, resembling getting off the bed or utilizing the lavatory.

You may undergo from painful or restricted motion that stops you from doing one thing, or means it takes you longer.

Memory issues can imply you need assistance to recollect to take treatment, or to take care of your self. Be certain to incorporate all these particulars in your software type.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, many individuals proceed to battle with each bodily and psychological well being issues making private care duties harder. This is all related info which must be included on the shape.

You may also wish to communicate with household and associates who know you effectively to guarantee that all the pieces of relevance is included, as chances are you’ll not at all times realise the kind of assist wants you could have.

2. Use the clean bins to present fuller info

It’s important that you simply clarify the problems you could have and the assistance or supervision you obtain.

Use the clean bins on the finish of every query to present this element.

It is extraordinarily essential that you simply clarify in these bins the difficulties you might be having with these particular person duties resulting from your well being issues.

If you run out of area, there are a few clean pages in the direction of the tip of the shape the place you may proceed explaining the difficulties you could have resulting from your well being issues.

3. Start a diary to maintain observe of your wants

This is a approach to preserve a notice of what you discover tough and what you need assistance with most.

You won’t realise what number of duties you discover significantly arduous, painful or that take you longer.

Use your diary to assist observe how usually you could have difficulties and need to get assist – as a way to clarify what number of occasions these issues happen when answering the ‘care needs’ questions.

For instance, in the event you need assistance or discover it arduous to make use of the steps or the lavatory, take a notice of the variety of occasions every day this occurs.

4. Be sincere about what you discover difficult

Attendance Allowance appears to be like at difficulties and the assistance wanted with private care duties – not difficulties with house responsibilities, buying nor gardening.

However, in case you are fighting actions like these, you may additionally be fighting private care duties.

5. You may must repeat info in a number of questions

Make the identical factors once more in a couple of of your solutions in the event that they’re related. It will assist underpin the difficulties you could have.

6. Include what care tools you want

Give particulars of any aids and diversifications you utilize – like stair lifts, seize rails and raised rest room seats – in your solutions to all of the related questions.

Question 25 offers with this challenge particularly, however check with the aids in different solutions the place related, resembling on utilizing the lavatory or stairs.

Example solutions: What are typical responses to some key questions

To assist provide you with an concept of what to jot down in your Attendance Allowance software type, Aleks Clayton provides some instance solutions to a number of of the questions.

But she stresses that every reply must be particular to your personal state of affairs, and all questions have to be answered

And once more, she says you will need to give as a lot info as attainable, and to make use of the clean bins on the shape.

Question 30 Do you normally have problem or do you want assist with dressing and undressing?

Example solutions: I’ve to take a seat down to decorate and undress resulting from unsteadiness. I’ve problem placing on and taking off decrease garments and footwear as I can not bend resulting from ache in my again and hips.

I’ve problem elevating my arms resulting from arthritic ache and stiffness and battle placing on and taking off higher garments. It takes me a very long time to decorate and undress.

Due to reminiscence issues I neglect to alter my garments and want somebody to remind me to alter my garments usually.

Question 31 Do you normally have problem or do you want assist transferring round indoors?

Example solutions: I maintain onto the furnishings/partitions indoors resulting from my poor stability.

My legs are very painful and likewise weak.

I really feel dizzy when standing and strolling.

Using stairs is tough resulting from ache in my joints.

My sight loss means I can not choose step depth which makes me susceptible to falling.

My legs are weak, so I battle to get the momentum to face from a chair.

Question 32 Do you fall or stumble due to your sicknesses or disabilities?

Example solutions: I battle to elevate my toes absolutely resulting from arthritis, ache, joint stiffness, swollen ankles which makes me susceptible to stumbling.

I get dizzy, have poor stability and have had falls leading to bruising, cuts and grazes.

Question 33 Do you normally have problem or do you want assist with chopping up meals, consuming or ingesting?

Example solutions: Due to sight loss, I can not see what meals is on my plate. 

Due to arthritis in my fingers and fingers I battle to grip cutlery to chop meals.

I battle to grip a cup or glass. 

Due to reminiscence issues I neglect to eat and want somebody to make my meals for me and guarantee I eat them.

Question 34 Do you normally have problem or need assistance with taking your medicines or with medical remedy?

Example solutions: Due to sight loss, I can not learn directions on the pill packs nor the knowledge leaflet.

Due to reminiscence issues I neglect to take my treatment and want reminding.

Question 35 Do you normally need assistance from one other particular person to speak with different individuals?

Example solutions: Due to listening to loss I battle to listen to conversations and have nice problem utilizing the cellphone.

Due to sight loss, I can not see to learn paperwork and need assistance with paperwork and put up. 

Due to reminiscence issues, I need assistance to cope with paperwork and funds as I battle to handle.

Question 36 How many days a weeks do you could have problem or need assistance with the care wants you could have instructed us about

Most individuals with ongoing well being issues could have problem day-after-day with these day by day residing actions, even when some days are barely higher than others. If that is the case, you must reply 7.

Question 37 Do you normally need assistance from one other particular person to actively participate in hobbies, pursuits, social or spiritual actions?

Example solutions: I need assistance to change on the TV and alter channels as I can not see the distant management buttons.

I want a speaking e book participant as I can not see to learn books. 

Visiting household/going out for a meal – I want somebody to take me and convey me dwelling as I can not get out with out assist.

Question 38 Do you normally want somebody to regulate you?

Example solutions: I’m susceptible to wandering and want somebody to usually test I’m secure.

Due to sight loss, I can not see if I’ve left the range on. 

Due to reminiscence issues, I’m not conscious of potential risks resembling leaving a pan on the range. 

I get very confused and scared if I’m by myself for any size of time and want somebody to reassure me. 

I’ve epilepsy and am not conscious when I’ve a match.

Question 40 Do you normally have problem or need assistance throughout the evening?

Example solutions: I’ve problem getting snug in mattress resulting from painful joints, I get breathless, I can not sleep on my aspect/again.

I’ve problem turning over resulting from painful and stiff joints.

I get dizzy if I attempt to flip over in mattress.

I get up in ache within the evening and need to take painkillers.

I’m susceptible to cramp which wakes me up and it is extremely tough to settle again down. I want to make use of the bathroom within the evening a few occasions and have problem getting off the bed and to and from the lavatory resulting from mobility issues.

Question 41 How many evening per week do you could have problem or need assistance along with your care wants?

Most individuals with ongoing well being issues could have problem each evening even when some nights are barely higher than others. If that is the case, you must reply 7.

Question 42 (At evening) Do you normally want somebody to maintain watch over you?

Example solutions: I’m susceptible to wandering within the evening so want somebody awake to make sure I’m secure.

Due to sight issues/unsteadiness/falls, I want somebody to assist me get to the bathroom and again to mattress safely within the evening.