Attendance allowance how long

Any deductions that are being made from means-tested benefits because other adults share your household may be removed if you get Attendance Allowance.

You can find out what benefits you are entitled to and how much you should be paid by getting an online benefit check see note below or see our talk to us page for details of how to get further help. Note: You can get a benefits check online by visiting either of the following websites:. It will take about 20 minutes to complete. These online tools are not suitable for everyone. Special rules apply to some groups of people, for example students, people under 18, people in permanent residential care, UK nationals who live abroad and people who are not British or Irish citizens.

The blue badge scheme allows people with severe walking disabilities to park in parking restricted areas. For example, if you have a badge, you can park free and for any length of time at on-street parking meters and on-street pay and display areas. There are some situations where you will automatically be eligible for a blue badge, which include if you:.

If none of these apply to you, you may still be eligible for a blue badge subject to further assessment by your council or trust. This will be the case if you meet one of the following criteria:. For more information call textphone or click here. Contact Translink for more information on If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and are disabled you may qualify for free local bus travel, although this is not directly linked to whether or not you receive Attendance Allowance. Contact your council or trust for further information.

If you live in Scotland and receive Attendance Allowance you will receive free bus travel. There are other circumstances where you may qualify for free bus travel — see the Transport Scotland website or contact your council for further information.

If you receive Attendance Allowance, you will be eligible for a Companion Card, allowing a companion to travel with you for free. See the Transport Scotland website or contact your council for further information. If you think this applies to you, you should seek advice. The AIRE Centre can provide advice on individual rights in Europe and can be contacted on or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots.

You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The habitual residence test is a test to see if you normally live in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Republic of Ireland or the Isle of Man. The test will be applied if you have been living abroad. Relevant factors are where you normally live, where you expect to live in future, your reasons for coming to this country, the length of time spent abroad before you came here, and any ties you still have with the country where you have come from.

Remember me. Log in. No account? Forgot your password? Click here Create an account Forgot your username? How much is Attendance Allowance worth? Do I satisfy the tests for Attendance Allowance? How to claim Attendance Allowance If you have a terminal illness The decision Challenging the decision What to do if your circumstances change Other help you might qualify for Residence and presence. Join us Together we're a supportive community and a movement for change.

How you can help With your help we can reach more carers with timely support and advice. Campaign We will keep campaigning until every carer gets proper recognition and support. Talk to us Caring can be complicated. It's best to phone because your payments will be backdated to the date you phoned, as long as you return the form in 6 weeks. The date you need to return it by will be stamped on the form.

If you download an application form, you'll only be paid from the date that the DWP receive the form. Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: then You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone.

You can find out how to use video relay on YouTube. It's the same number whether you're applying for Attendance Allowance for yourself or for someone else. It's a good idea to keep a diary of your condition for at least a week before you fill in the form - particularly if you have bad days and good days.

Fill in our diary template to help you [ 99 kb]. Write down your difficulties, the care or supervision you need and how long it took. The diary will help you when you answer questions on the form. You can also send it with the form to support your claim. The form can be confusing and difficult to understand - filling it in can also be emotionally difficult and time-consuming. You don't have to go through it alone - read our advice on filling in the Attendance Allowance form.

It's a good idea to make a copy of your filled-in application form and any other documents you send if you can. This will be useful in case you need to refer to them later, for example if you need to reapply for Attendance Allowance after a few years. If you're waiting for something like a letter from your doctor, you should still send the form before the 6 week deadline.

Include a letter saying you'll send more evidence and give them an approximate date for when you'll send it. If you send the form late, you should explain why. You'll only get paid from when the DWP receives the form. You'll normally get a 'decision letter' in around 6 weeks - this will tell you whether or not you'll get Attendance Allowance. It will also tell you how much you'll get and how long your Attendance Allowance will last for.

If you're terminally ill you'll get your decision letter within 2 weeks. You'll be awarded the higher rate of Attendance Allowance for 3 years.

Find out more about claiming Attendance Allowance if you're terminally ill. Help with filling in the Attendance Allowance claim form. Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer. Top links Housing benefit.

Top links Template letter to raise a grievance at work. Attendance Allowance is one of a number of benefits for older people. But any difficulties you may have with walking will be taken into account when determining your eligibility.

You can call the Attendance Allowance helpline to request a claim form or to get help and information: It usually takes around 40 working days to process an application, but payment can be backdated to the date that the claim form was received or the date you called the enquiry line. Claims made under these rules should be handled within eight working days. This must be completed by a GP or another healthcare professional.

Attendance Allowance is not based on what illnesses or disabilities you have, but on how your daily life is affected by your health. To make sure you capture everything that could support your application, spend some time in advance thinking about your needs and circumstances.

Keep a diary or make notes and discuss this with a family member or carer, if possible. Think about the following aspects of day-to-day living:. Our tips will help you navigate the claim form and give you the best chance of a successful application. The form itself also comes with some useful guidance notes and examples of the types of things you should include. The notes can be printed separately if that helps. Attendance Allowance packs are available in large print or braille.

Interpreters can also be organised. For help with this, call the Attendance Allowance helpline If you have speech or hearing difficulties, contact the Disability Service Centre. Be realistic about the amount of help needed on bad days, as well as good ones.

Give as much detail as you can in each section, together with examples. This is a key reason to qualify for Attendance Allowance. You or your loved one may be asked to give your consent for the Department for Work and Pensions DWP to contact your GP or other people involved with looking after you.

This would be to get a clear understanding of your needs. It could be a friend, relative or a professional, such as a doctor or nurse. You must sign the form yourself, so if someone has been helping you to fill in the form, you should read it through before signing. The form explains what needs to be done in these circumstances.