State pension age with back pain or arthritis? You could get a £6k a year boost

State pension age Brits with one of dozens of common conditions could be eligible for hundreds of pounds a month by claiming a special allowance.

Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you and you are over state pension age.

It’s paid at two different rates – £73.90 or £110.40 a week – and how much you get depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability or health condition.

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It means you could get up £5,740.80 a year to help with personal support if you have a physical disability, a mental disability, or a health condition and you’re state pension age or older.

The allowance is not means-tested. It doesn’t matter how much state pension you get, how much you have in other pensions, or if you have savings. While it does not cover mobility needs, you do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim.

Thousands of people are already claiming the allowance for common health issues.

For example, 80,354 state pension age Brits are claiming Attendance Allowance for back pain, according to the latest Department for Work and Pensions data.

Another 524,072 are claiming for arthritis – the highest proportion of claims.

A further 20,868 state pensioners are claiming for help with their spondylosis, a general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the spinal disks in your neck.

David Samson, benefits expert at anti-poverty charity Turn2Us, said: “Attendance Allowance is not a means-tested benefit, so your income and savings are not taken into account when assessing if you qualify for the benefit.

“Claiming Attendance Allowance also won’t reduce any other income you receive. And if you’re awarded it, you may, depending on your situation, become entitled to other benefits, such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, or an increase in those benefits.”

Am I eligible for Attendance Allowance?

You can get Attendance Allowance if you’ve reached state pension age and your disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, and you have needed that help for at least six months.

There are different eligibility rules if you’re nearing the end of life, which will mean you get the allowance more quickly and at a higher rate.

You must be in Britain when you claim – unless you’re in the Armed Forces – and have been in Britain for at least two of the last three years.

You are not eligible for Attendance Allowance if you currently get Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP) or Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA).

You’ll only need to attend an assessment to check your eligibility if it’s unclear how your disability or health condition affects you.

How to claim Attendance Allowance

You can apply for Attendance Allowance online or by post.

To apply, you’ll need:

• your National Insurance number
• your address and contact details
• details of the disability or health condition that you need extra help for
• details of your GP surgery or medical centre
• details of your care home, hospital or hospice if you’re currently staying in one

You cannot apply online if you are an appointee or have power of attorney for the person trying to claim.

To apply by post, you can print and send the Attendance Allowance claim form or contact the helpline to request a claim form on 0800 731 0122 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Then send the completed form to: Freepost, DWP Attendance Allowance

You don’t need to write anything except the freepost address on the envelope, and you don’t need a postcode or a stamp.

After you send your claim, you’ll get a text or letter within three weeks that explains when you can expect a decision. Once a decision is made, you’ll get a letter explaining the outcome.

If you’re awarded Attendance Allowance, the decision letter will tell you when you’ll get your first payment. If you apply online, your claim will start on the date you make your claim. If you print and post the form, your claim will start on the date the Department for Work and Pensions receives it.

Some charities, like Mencap, Age UK, and Turn2Us can help you apply for Attendance Allowance. You can talk through the process with them for free by contacting them directly.