Check out the details about Attendance Allowance UK: What is Attendance Allowance? Form, Rates, and Pitfalls from this article. Different details about Attendance Allowance UK: What is Attendance Allowance? Form, Rates, Pitfalls, and other necessary details are included in this article.
Attendance Allowance UK
Attendance Allowance aims to provide financial assistance to people with severe disabilities who need someone to look after them. The Attendance Allowance in the UK is a benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions.
However, people need to meet all the eligibility requirements in order to get benefits from the Attendance Allowance. Furthermore, the Attendance Allowance benefits are paid weekly at 2 different rates.
Attendance Allowance Overview
| Name | Attendance Allowance |
| Benefit by | Department for Work and Pensions. |
| Country | UK |
| Lower Rate | £68.10 |
| Higher Rate | £101.75 |
| For more information | https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance |
What is Attendance Allowance?
When someone reaches their state pension age, they can receive the Attendance Allowance if they have a physical/mental disability. In addition, the disability should be severe enough that they need support and supervision. They should need this support for at least 6 months.
If someone is nearing their end of life, they can directly claim the Attendance Allowance. In this situation, the 6 months rule will not apply. Please note that nearing the end of life means that someone has less than 12 months to live.
The claim is only for those people who are living in Great Britain. They should have lived in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years. If someone is living outside Great Britain and some of their family members are in the armed forces, they might also claim the Attendance Allowance.
If someone lives in a care home and they pay all the costs themselves, they can get an Attendance Allowance. However, if someone lives in a care home and the local council pays all the costs, they cannot get an Attendance Allowance.
Attendance Allowance Rates
The amount is usually paid every 4 weeks. However, in some situations, this allowance is paid every week. Additionally, the savings or investments that someone has will not affect the claim.
The Attendance Allowance has 2 rates. How much a person can receive from Attendance Allowance depends on the level of support or care required. This is generally calculated using the rates.
| Rate | Level of help needed |
| £68.10 | Requires frequent help/constant supervision at day or night |
| £101.75 | Requires help/supervision throughout both day and night, or someone is nearing the end of their life. |
In case the circumstances change, the rates can get different. Therefore, the beneficiaries receiving the Attendance Allowance should report any changes in their circumstances. After the calculation of the benefits, the amount will be paid into bank accounts, credit union accounts, etc.
This amount will only be given if the claimants meet all the eligibility requirements set by the government. The higher rate can be given to someone in case their medical supervisor tells them that they might have 12 or fewer months to live.
In case it is unclear how the disability affects someone, they might need to get an assessment. If someone requires an assessment, they will receive a letter telling them why they need it and where they have to go. A medical professional examines the applicants.
UK Attendance Allowance Form
To apply for the Attendance Allowance, the citizens have to submit the Attendance Allowance claim form. They can easily get this form from the UK Government’s website. This form can either be completed by using a desktop/laptop or by printing and filling it by hand.
This Form is also known as AA1. After completing this form, send it to Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance. Moreover, to get this form, the citizens can also contact the Attendance Allowance helpline and request the form. This form also includes notes to help people to fill the form.
Attendance Allowance Pitfalls
People often face difficulties in getting the Attendance Allowance UK due to various reasons. Some people believe that their claim was turned down before, so they should not apply again. However, they can apply if their circumstances have changed and their care needs have increased.
Some people also think that they won’t get this claim because their income is high. They should know that the claim does not get affected by how much money someone has in their savings. People are advised to read all the aspects of Attendance Allowance by visiting the authorized website of the UK Government.