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Attendance Allowance
Please note: as an older person, finding out which benefits you may be entitled to, and the impact they may have on other benefits, is not always straightforward. There is a huge amount of information available about benefits, but this can be overwhelming or confusing. We would always advise you to seek advice from an independent Welfare Rights Officer, who will be able to look at your individual situation and guide you throught the application process.
You can find details of local and citywide organisations that provide independent and free benefits advice on the Newcastle City Council website.
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for those who:
- are physically or mentally ill;
- are disabled and need help with personal care; or
- need to be supervised by someone else.
For example, you might qualify for Attendance Allowance if you need help with dressing, washing yourself or moving around at home.
There is no upper age limit for Attendance Allowance, but if you are aged under 65 years old you should apply for Disability Living Allowance rather than Attendance Allowance.
Attendance Allowance does not depend on your National Insurance contributions and is not affected by your savings or income. There are two weekly rates, which depend on how your disability affects you.
You can claim Attendance Allowance if you live alone or if you live with another person; what matters is that you need help, not whether you are getting help.
For further information, including what the current rates are and how to claim, visit the Attendance Allowance section of the Directgov website.
You can talk to someone about all of the benefits you may be entitled to at an independent advice service. You can find your local advice service on the Newcastle City Council website.
Other useful documents
Age UK’s factsheet Attendance Allowance
Contact Information
Newcastle Welfare Rights Service
Brian Roycroft Centre, The Shopping Centre, Newbiggin Hall Estate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 4BR.
Telephone : 0191 277 2633.
Article last updated January 2, 2012 7:47 pm
