State pensioners are being sent £77 a week payments they 'don't know about' from the Department for Work and Pensions in June. Attendance Allowance is worth either £77 at a lower rate or £114 at the higher threshold.
But a personal finance expert has warned that AA remains one of the most overlooked benefits, with a 'real danger' state pensioners simply aren't aware of them. Rebecca Lamb, external relations manager at debt support provider Money Wellness, said: 'There's a real danger that the financial impact of dementia is being overlooked, despite more families being affected every year.'
'A lot of the focus quite rightly goes on healthcare and social care, but there's also a huge financial side to this that many families are quietly struggling with behind closed doors.'
Who Qualifies for Attendance Allowance?
The lower level of help is for when you require frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night. The higher rate is for help or supervision throughout both day and night, or if a medical professional has said you're nearing the end of life.
You need to 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 must be severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else's safety. And you must have needed that help for at least 6 months, according to DWP guidelines.
Expert Urges Awareness
Lamb added: 'As dementia progresses, people can find it harder to manage bills, deal with paperwork or spot financial problems early. At the same time, families are trying to navigate a support system that often feels confusing and disconnected.'
'One of the biggest issues isn't always a lack of support. It's that people simply don't know what help exists until they're already in crisis.'
