Overview
- Reporting over the weekend (May 30–31) flagged that charities and industry experts are warning people with dementia and their families are not claiming Attendance Allowance.
- The Attendance Allowance pays £76.70 a week at the lower rate and £114.60 a week at the higher rate for state pensioners who need another person’s help.
- Experts say benefits are not automatic and applications often must be made by the person or by a lasting power of attorney, which creates a major barrier when cognitive decline affects paperwork and decision-making.
- Research cited by Zurich suggests some households with dementia could be forfeiting between £1,000 and £5,000 a year in unclaimed benefits, and lack of a formal diagnosis affects more than a third of people with the condition.
- Securing Attendance Allowance can unlock extra support such as higher Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or council tax reductions, so advisers urge families to check eligibility, arrange an LPA or seek specialist help from debt-support services or banks.