Older people claiming Attendance Allowance can get back payments using Martin Lewis tip

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that by the end of May 2024, there were over 1.6 million older people receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance, including 146,287 living in Scotland.

The payment is now worth either £72.65 or £108.55 each week and is designed to help people of State Pension age with additional daily living costs.

However, consumer champion Martin Lewis recently warned that over one million pensioners could be missing out on the non-means-tested benefit and explained a clever way to ensure payments are ‘backdated’ to the point of claim, and not when the DWP receives a completed application form.During an episode of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, the consumer champion explained how older people making a new claim online will only receive payments from the date it was submitted.

However, by calling the DWP and asking for an application form to be set out in the post, successful claimants will receive Attendance Allowance payments from that date.The financial guru explained how application forms requested over the phone need to be completed and returned to the DWP within six weeks or back payments might not be issued.Martin told ITV viewers: “Attendance Allowance is not means tested they (DWP) do not look at your means or how much money you’ve got - you are entitled to it or you’re not entitled to it regardless of finances.