Dementia patients miss up to £5,000 in Attendance Allowance

Experts are warning that many people living with dementia and their families are missing out on significant financial support due to low awareness and complex application systems. A key benefit, Attendance Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions, provides weekly payments to assist with care costs but is frequently unclaimed by eligible individuals.

Attendance Allowance is available to people over state pension age who have a physical or mental disability or health condition requiring care. It is paid at two rates: £76.70 per week for those needing frequent help or constant supervision during the day or support at night, and £114.60 per week for those requiring help both day and night, or who have been identified by a medical professional as nearing the end of life. The benefit is not means-tested, meaning income and savings do not affect eligibility.

Specialists say the financial strain of dementia is often overshadowed by the focus on healthcare needs. Rebecca Lamb, external relations manager at the debt support group Money Wellness, stated that many families struggle quietly with the financial side of the condition. She explained that as dementia progresses,...