In every new client presentation we make, as part of our thorough pre-care support assessment, we check to see if our client or their family members are aware or are already claiming Attendance Allowance. This is because many of them have either no knowledge of it, or do not know how to claim for it? It may not pay for all the private care that you or your loved-one needs, but it can certainly make a good contribution to the overall costs. It is worth your application!

What is Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is paid by the Department of Work and Pensions to help with extra costs if you have a disability (no blue badge required) severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
You may not think of yourself as disabled, but if you have a health condition or illness that means you need the type of help that Visiting Angels provide, you may be able to get Attendance Allowance.
• Your disability may be physical, or you may have mental-health problems, learning difficulties, sight, hearing or speech difficulties.

Am I eligible for Attendance Allowance?
You may be eligible if:
• you are State Pension age or over when you make your claim
• you cannot get Disability Living Allowance
• you cannot get Personal Independence Payment
• your disability means that you need help with your personal care or
you need someone to supervise you for your own or someone else’s safety, and
• you have needed that help for at least 6 months

Is Attendance Allowance means tested?
No, Attendance allowance is not means tested, and will not necessarily affect any of your other benefits.
• Attendance Allowance is not usually affected by your income or savings (but, if you get Constant Attendance Allowance with another benefit, this will be paid instead, or reduce the amount of your Attendance Allowance)
• Attendance Allowance is not taken off other benefits and tax credits you may get
• You don’t usually need to have paid any National Insurance contributions to claim Attendance Allowance
• You do not have to pay tax on the Attendance Allowance you get
• If you get Attendance Allowance, you may get extra money with other benefits
Even if you are not actually getting the care help you need, you can still get Attendance Allowance.
Is Attendance Allowance paid to those under the State Pension Age?
If you are under State Pension age, you may be able to get Personal Independence Payment instead. Contact the Personal Independence Payment enquiry line on 0800 121 4433 if you want to ask us about a Personal Independence Payment.

What do I need to claim Attendance Allowance?
The claim form itself puts most people off from applying, as it is 44 pages long, contains a total of 49 questions, and can seem quite daunting. However, the Questions start on Page 13, and many of the questions require a simple Yes or No response, and if you answer No, you skip to the next section. It takes about 20 minutes to complete and Visiting Angels can help you.
It is best to have to hand:
• Your National Insurance number. (You can find this on your National Insurance number card, letters from the Department for Work and Pensions, or past payslips)
• The name of your GP and the address of your GP’s surgery
• Repeat Prescription – Details of your medication or an up-to-date printed prescription list
• Referral Letters – Details of anyone you have seen about your illnesses or disabilities in the last 12 months, apart from your GP
• Your hospital record number (if you know it). You can find this on your appointment card or letter
• Hospital/Home Discharge Letter – If you have been in a hospital, a care home or similar place – the dates you went in and came out, and the name and address of the place you stayed
• Exisiting Care Plans – either from Intermediate Care following a hospital stay, or your Visiting Angels care plan following the pre-assessment.
You may also find it helpful to keep a record – write down a list of things you have needed help with or found difficult over one or two days. If you have good days and bad days, or your disability varies over time, you may want to keep a record of your needs over a good day and over a bad day. Start from the time you get up in the morning, through 24 hours, to the time you get up the following morning. You can send in the record with your form if you want to.

How much is Attendance Allowance?
There are 2 rates of Attendance Allowance correct at November 2022:
• lower rate of £61.85/week or £3,216.20/year
• higher rate of £92.40/week or £4,804.80/year
The rate you get is based on how much help you need.
Lower rate of Attendance Allowance

You may get the lower rate of Attendance Allowance if you need:
• help with personal care frequently throughout the day
• help with personal care during the night
• someone to supervise you continually throughout the day to help you avoid substantial danger
• someone to watch over you at night to help you avoid substantial danger, or
• someone with you when you are on dialysis
Higher rate of Attendance Allowance

You may get the higher rate if you need:
• help with personal care or someone to supervise you throughout the day and also during the night

Visiting Angels Attendance Allowance Support:
Call us: 01480 751731 or 01223 455945; or send us an Email: cambridgeshire@visiting-angels.co.uk

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