Attendance Allowance in a Care Home: Can You Claim?
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There are several care home benefits that can be claimed by UK residents and one of the most common is Attendance Allowance. Here, we’ve explained how Attendance Allowance works in a care home and whether you can get it.
This benefit is available to people who have reached the State Pension age and have a physical or mental disability which means they need extra care and support.
If eligible, you’ll either get £72.65 (the lower rate) or £108.55 (the higher rate) each week. Which rate you qualify for depends on how much care and support you require.
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In this article on attendance allowance in care homes:
- What is Attendance Allowance?
- Can you claim Attendance Allowance in a care home?
- How does Attendance Allowance work alongside other benefits?
- Attendance Allowance for the terminally ill
- Check your eligibility for Attendance Allowance
- Make a claim
What is Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people who have reached the State Pension age and have a disability which means they need additional care and support on a daily basis.
This additional care could include getting dressed or undressed, using the toilet and other forms of personal care.
Any type of disability or illness could make you eligible for Attendance Allowance, provided it affects you on a daily basis and means you need additional support.
However, Attendance Allowance doesn’t cover people with mobility difficulties or needs.
For detailed information about how to claim, how long the form will take to complete and whether your application has been successful or not, download our Attendance Allowance guide, written by our Lead Care Expert Hannah Karim.
Can You Claim Attendance Allowance in a Care Home?
You can get Attendance Allowance at either rate (£108.55 or £72.65 a week) in a care home if you pay for your own care.
However, if your care is paid for by your local authority, your Attendance Allowance will stop 28 days after you enter a care home.
If you live in a nursing home and the NHS pays towards your care through NHS-funded nursing care, you can receive this while also getting Attendance Allowance.
We’re here to help you find the right care home for you or your loved one. You can request a free list of care homes from our care experts, who will then share homes matching your budget, location and type of care needed. You can also search for a care home through our easy-to-use directory.
How Does Attendance Allowance Work Alongside Other Benefits?
Claiming Attendance Allowance won’t negatively affect any other benefits you currently receive (or may receive in the future). In some cases, receiving Attendance Allowance could even make you eligible to earn more from other benefits.
It’s important to be aware that your local authority may class your Attendance Allowance as a form of income when working out whether you’re eligible for care home funding during your financial assessment for care fees.
Attendance Allowance For the Terminally Ill
If you have a terminal illness, you’ll also be able to claim Attendance Allowance. Unlike other claimants, you won’t have to wait six months. Instead, you’ll be able to claim it straight away. This includes people who are currently living in a hospice or are receiving hospice care.
There’s also a special application process which operates at a quicker pace than usual. If you’re unsure, speak to an adviser, such as those at Citizens Advice.
Check Your Eligibility For Attendance Allowance
You’ll likely be eligible for Attendance Allowance if the following all apply:
- You’ve reached the State Pension age (this is currently 66 for men and women)
- You require additional care and support, due to a mental or physical disability or other condition
- You normally live in the UK
You need to have had this condition for at least six months. The only exception to this is if you have a terminal illness. We also have a guide explaining which medical conditions qualify for Attendance Allowance.
Make a Claim
The most common way of claiming Attendance Allowance is by filling out a form to make a claim.
The completed form should be sent to Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance.
Once this form has been completed and sent off, you’ll then hear back from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) explaining whether you’ve been approved for Attendance Allowance, and at what rate you’ll receive.
If eligible, Attendance Allowance can be paid from the date on which your claim began.
If you live in a care home and self-fund your care, the claiming process will work in the same way.
To make applying easier and to learn the information you'll need to provide, download our Attendance Allowance checklist, written by our Lead Care Expert Hannah Karim.
Lottie matches care seekers with the best care homes for their needs. You can request a free care home shortlist from our care experts, who will share homes matching your budget, location and type of care needed. You can also search for a care home through our easy-to-use directory.
Can you claim Attendance Allowance and NHS-Funded Nursing Care?
Receiving NHS-Funded Nursing Care (FNC) doesn’t affect your eligibility for other benefits such as Attendance Allowance. This means you can have your care paid through NHS FNC and still claim Attendance Allowance.
Does Attendance Allowance have to be spent on care?
The money you receive from Attendance Allowance doesn’t have to be spent on care.
Are Attendance Allowance rates reviewed if care needs change?
If your loved one receives the lower rate of Attendance Allowance but their care needs have increased, they can contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) via the Attendance Allowance helpline - 0800 731 0122 - rather than having to go through all the paperwork again.
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Written by our team of experts and designed to help families fund later life care in England.
