Financial support is potentially available if you need additional help around your home, or if  someone is caring for you.

Attendance Allowance

You can receive Attendance Allowance if you’ve reached State Pension age and the following apply:

• you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition
• your disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety
• you have needed that help for at least 6 months

This information is taken directly from the Gov.uk website.

There are two rates:

Lower rate - £76.70 per week if you need frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night

Higher rate - £114.60 per week for help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said you’re nearing the end of life.

Payment is every 4 weeks directly into your bank account, and can be spent  in whichever ways you want eg to pay for someone to clean or to pay for equipment.    

You can apply for attendance allowance online here, or by downloading the form below, completing it and returning it.

If you need help completing the form we found Age UK very helpful.  The application is written the first person 'I' form.

You describe what your problem is eg 'I have difficulty walking up stairs which means that....

Carers' allowance 

Carers' allowance is available for people who care for others for a minimum of 35 hours per week.  So if someone gives you that amount of care, it is worth looking into.  However, the carer receives only £86.45 per week, but for some that makes a big difference. They do not have to be related and you yourself have to be claiming other benefits such as Attendance Allowance. More details are available here.