Martin Lewis points warning to 1.1m Brits lacking out on £5,959
Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has renewed his call for pensioners who may be entitled to check whether they are missing out on thousands of pounds annually through an “underclaimed” DWP state benefit known as Attendance Allowance, which could be worth up to £5,959 a year.
Martin Lewis urged pensioners to claim a benefit 1 million are eligible for but don’t get(Image: MSE)
Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has reiterated his call for pensioners who may be eligible to check if they are missing out on thousands of pounds each year through an “underclaimed” state benefit.
Attendance Allowance, intended for individuals aged 66 and over who have disabilities or serious health conditions requiring regular care, is managed by the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ). The benefit is offered at two rates, either £76.70 or £114.60 per week, depending on the level of care needed, potentially providing an additional £3,988.40 or £5,959.20 annually – importantly, it is not means-tested.
Significantly, eligibility for Attendance Allowance is not based on income or savings, meaning all qualifying claimants receive the payment regardless of their financial situation.
He’s issued a warning(Image: Mike Marsland, Mike Marsland/WireImagevia Getty Images)
Mr Lewis stated: “So 1.1 million people potentially in the UK – State Pensioners, you have to be of state pension age – are missing out on Attendance Allowance. Now, that 1.1 million number is one from myself and my team, and Policy in Practice have worked out it is not a government figure.”, reports the Mirror.
“Now, this is a payment that helps you if you need help-it’s to give you extra money if you need help and support. Crucially, it isn’t means-tested, so they don’t look at how much money you have. It’s pretty binary: you either qualify for it or you don’t qualify for it.”
He warned that those claiming particular benefits aren’t eligible: “I should say, if you’re entitled to PIP (Personal Independence Payment) or Disability Living Allowance, you can’t get both, and they tend to be better for you, so you wouldn’t want it.
“Now, to qualify for this, you need to have supervision for six months. So help or supervision for six months, I should say. Help means help with daily living; supervision means avoiding dangers to yourself. Now, the daily living one, just to give people what this is all about: what does help mean? You don’t actually have to be getting the help, you just need to need help.
“This is from Lord Denning, who was Master of the Rolls back in 1981, if anyone remembers him. He was a quite famous judge at the time. He defined the type of help that is still generally, loosely used as what we’re talking about. It means 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-all of which an ordinary person who is not suffering from any disability does for himself or herself, obviously, although that’s not what was said.”
A broad range of common medical conditions could make people eligible for Attendance Allowance, including arthritis, sight problems, heart conditions, Parkinson’s disease, and respiratory issues like asthma. Two payment rates are on offer, depending on the level of care needed, with the higher rate delivering £114.60 per week and the lower rate providing £76.70.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirms that while the benefit is intended to help with care costs, recipients have total discretion over how they spend the money.
