Attendance Allowance: You could go to court if you fail to report changes in circumstance | Personal Finance | Finance
Failing to report changes to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) could result in a penalty or even an appearance in court. Pensioners claiming Attendance Allowance should make the DWP aware of any changes to their condition or situation.
Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if people have a disability severe enough that they need someone to help look after them.
It is available to people over the state pension age of 66, who have certain illnesses or conditions.
Britons could get £61.85 or £92.40 a week to help with personal support if they are both physically or mentally disabled and state pension age or older.
On the Government website, it warns that people could be taken to court for not updating them when something changes.
READ MORE: NHS prescriptions: 10 conditions that qualify for free medication – are you eligible?
It states: “You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.”
Pensioners must contact the Attendance Allowance helpline straight away if:
- the level of help they need or their condition changes – they’ll need to provide details like if the amount of times they need help each day has changed
- they go into hospital or a care home – they’ll need to provide the address, the dates they’ve been there for, and how their stay is paid for
- they leave the country for more than four weeks
- they go into prison
- they change their name, address or bank details
- they want to stop receiving their benefit
- their doctor’s details change
- their immigration status changes, if they’re not a British citizen
There are also situations when people may have to repay the money that has been given to them.
For example, when a change was not reported straight away, if someone gives the wrong information or if they were overpaid by mistake.
DON’T MISS
The organisation added: “If you’re in hospital and come back out again, but then go back within 28 days, these periods in hospital will be ‘linked’ and added together.”
To report their change, people can contact the DWP through the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested – what someone earns or how much they have in savings will not affect what they get.
People could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if they get Attendance Allowance.
To find out if they are eligible, Britons are encouraged to check with the helpline or office dealing with their benefit.
Around 3.4 million pensioners in the UK claim Attendance Allowance.
Attendance Allowance is paid weekly at two different rates – the one they get depends on the level of help they need.
If someone needs help either during the day or at night, then they will receive £61.85 each week.
However, if someone needs help during both the day and night they could get £92.40.
Overall, people have the chance to claim up to £370 per month and over £4,000 every year.
