Attendance Allowance – Eligibility
3 Eligibility
You can get Attendance Allowance if you’re 65 or over and the following apply:
- You have a physical disability (including sensory disability, e.g. blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or both.
- Your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety.
Other conditions: You must also:
- Be in Great Britain when you claim – there are some exceptions, e.g. members and family members of the Armed Force
- Have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years
- Be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
- Not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)
There are some exceptions to these conditions if you’re living in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.
Special rules – if you’re terminally ill There are ‘special rules’ so you get Attendance Allowance more quickly if you’re not expected to live more than 6 months. You must:
- Complete an Attendance Allowance form.
- Include a DS1500 medical condition report or send it soon after – these are free and you can only get them from a doctor, specialist or consultant.
- You can do this on behalf of someone else without their permission. The letter about the money awarded won’t mention ‘special rules’.
Speak to a financial adviser about your options for long term care funding >
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