Introduction
This guide describes:
- Attendance Allowance for people aged 65 or over who have a physical or mental disability which is severe enough for them to need help with personal care.
- Carer’s Allowance for adults who are unable to work full-time because they are caring for someone who is getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance at the highest or middle rate or Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance.
- Disability Living Allowance for people who have a physical or mental disability which is severe enough for them to need help with getting around, or with personal care or with both. You must have become sufficiently disabled to qualify and have made your claim before your 65th birthday.
- Severe Disablement Allowance for people who are too ill or disabled to work. This benefit is available only to those already claiming or entitled to make a further claim.
The benefits described in this guide are non-contributory social security benefits, which means that you do not need to have paid National Insurance (NI) contributions to qualify for them. They are for people who are disabled or who have been ill for some time, and for people who are caring for a disabled person. In most cases a learning disability or mental ill health is covered as well as physical disablement.
Some of the rules in this guide – for example, earnings rules – are concerned with amounts of money. The amounts used are those that apply at the time of publication. For detailed information on all benefit rates see leaflet BRA5DWP Social Security Benefit Rates.
When we talk about the Secretary of State, we normally mean an officer of the Department for Work and Pensions making a decision, or acting, on behalf of the Secretary of State.
You should claim straight away. If you delay claiming, you may lose benefit.
Gender Recognition Act 2004
From April 2005, if you get a full Gender Recognition Certificate you can receive State Pensions and benefits in the acquired gender. You can get more information on the effect of gender recognition on benefits from the gender recognition website www.grp.gov.uk.
Civil Partnership Act 2004
From 5 December 2005, references in this guide to a husband, wife or spouse also apply to a civil partner, in accordance with the Civil Partnership Act. References to a partner include a civil partner or two people living together as if they were civil partners.