The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that state pensioners with 48 specific health conditions are the most likely to receive Attendance Allowance, a benefit designed to support people over State Pension age who require assistance with personal care.
Attendance Allowance is paid at two weekly rates: £76.70 or £114.60, depending on the level of care needed. Payments are usually made every four weeks, amounting to either £306.80 or £458.40 per payment period. It is important to note that the benefit is paid in arrears.
This financial support helps individuals with disabilities, long-term illnesses, or mental or physical health conditions manage daily living expenses and maintain independence in their own homes for longer. Unlike some other benefits, Attendance Allowance does not include a mobility component.
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Arthritis is the most common condition claimed under Attendance Allowance, benefiting 503,389 people across Great Britain. The full list of health conditions recorded by the DWP as part of the claims process includes:
- Arthritis
- Spondylosis
- Back Pain (Other / Precise Diagnosis not Specified)
- Disease of the Muscles, Bones or Joints
- Trauma to Limbs
- Visual Disorders and Diseases
- Hearing Disorders
- Heart Disease
- Respiratory Disorders and Diseases
- Asthma
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Cerebrovascular Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Epilepsy
- Neurological Diseases
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Motor Neurone Disease
- Chronic Pain Syndromes
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Metabolic Disease
- Traumatic Paraplegia
- Major Trauma Other Than Traumatic/Paraplegia
- Learning Difficulties
- Psychosis
- Psychoneurosis
- Personality Disorder
- Dementia
- Behavioural Disorder
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- Hyperkinetic Syndrome
- Renal Disorders
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Bowel and Stomach Disease
- Blood Disorders
- Haemophilia
- Multi-System Disorders
- Multiple Allergy Syndrome
- Skin Disease
- Malignant Disease
- Haemodialysis
- Frailty
- AIDS
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Viral Disease (Precise Diagnosis Not Specified)
- Tuberculosis
- Bacterial Disease (Precise Diagnosis Not Specified)
- Cognitive Disorder (Other)
This comprehensive list provides insight into the wide range of conditions acknowledged by the DWP when awarding Attendance Allowance, highlighting the benefit’s role in supporting vulnerable older adults across Great Britain.