A MAJOR change is coming for more than 144,000 households as a key benefit is set to be axed.
Starting next year people with disabilities will be moved onto a new benefit to replace Attendance Allowance.
AlamyA major change is coming for 144,000 households on benefits[/caption]
For people in Scotland who claim the cash they will be switched over to Pension Age Disability Payment.
The benefit will be replacing Attendance Allowance as part of a phased pilot launch from autumn 2024 for new claimants.
According to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s forecast, it’s expected that 144,000 people will be eligible in the year 2024 to 2025.
All recipients of the current Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit will be then transferred over to the devolved payment by the end of 2025.
People that are already on Attendance Allowance won’t need to apply for the PADP and instead will be gradually transferred over to the new Scottish system.
The criteria for the two benefits will remain largely the same according to the Scottish government.
It will also pay the same weekly rates as the current benefit, so new and existing claimants shouldn’t see any change in the support.
It is specifically aimed at helping those who have reached state pension age and have one of the eligible disabilities.
There are two rates you can receive it at – the lower rate and the higher rate, depending on the level or support you need.
The lower rate is worth £68.10 a week and the higher rate is worth £101.75 a week.
That means if you are receiving the higher rate you’ll be in line for £4,884 a year.
In the UK people can claim Attendance Allowance if they have reached state pension age, currently 66, and the following applies:
you have a physical or mental disability, or bothyour disability is severe enough that you need help caring for yourselfyou have needed that help for at least six months (unless you’re terminally ill)
The Scottish government is said to be making changes to the application process for new claimants, as well as how it collects the supporting information about their disability.
Attendance Allowance isn’t the only benefit which is changing for Scots.
Those on Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Carer’s Allowance will all be swapping over to the Social Security arm of the Scottish government.
It will see 700,000 people move to the new welfare system by the end of 2025.
For those who are looking to claim Attendance Allowance before 2024, we’ve rounded up all you need to know.
What is Attendance Allowance and who is eligible?
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people who need help being cared for due to a disability or illness.
There are two rates you can receive it at – the lower rate and the higher rate, depending on the level or support you need.
The lower rate is worth £68.10 a week and the higher rate is worth £101.75 a week.
That means if you are receiving the higher rate you’ll be in line for £4,884 a year.
You can claim Attendance Allowance if you have reached state pension age, currently 66, and the following applies:
you have a physical or mental disability, or bothyour disability is severe enough that you need help caring for yourselfyou have needed that help for at least six months (unless you’re terminally ill)
To receive the benefit you must also have been in Britain for at least two of the last three years, unless you are a refugee or have humanitarian protection status.
If you live in a care home but pay for it yourself, you can claim Attendance Allowance.
There are 57 categories of medical conditions you can claim with, but the most common ones are arthritis and dementia.
How can I claim Attendance Allowance?
To apply, you’ll need to download the Attendance Allowance form on the gov.uk website and then send it by post.
If you’re unable to print the form yourself, you can call the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 and ask for a copy to be sent to you.
It’s worth applying, especially as you may get extra pension credit and housing benefit or a council tax reduction if you receive attendance allowance.
The application form is very long and asks for a lot of personal information.
If you think you’ll need help filling in the form, you should get a friend, relative or adviser to help you complete it if possible.
Entitledto has a full list of organisations that can help with claiming disability benefits on its website.
If you want to know if you are receiving the right amount of benefits, you can a number of online calculators including on Turn2Us’ website and Entitledto’s.
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