How to apply for Attendance Allowance Easy Read
How to apply for Attendance Allowance
What is Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is the name of a benefit that some people can get if they need someone to help them because of their disability.
The money is to help to pay for your care and support.
Step 1: Check that you can get Attendance Allowance
To see if you could get Attendance Allowance, read our What is Attendance Allowance? Easy Read page.
Step 2: Make sure you have everything you will need
Before you apply for Attendance Allowance, you will need to know:
- your name, address and telephone number
- your date of birth
- your
National Insurance
National Insurance is a type of
tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like
income tax
Income tax is the money that is taken out of the money you earn every month. It helps to pay for things we all need like hospitals and schools.
,
VAT
VAT is also called Value Added Tax. VAT is the extra money you pay when you buy things. The money goes to
the government
The Government are the people who run the country. They decide how much tax people should pay for things and how things like the National Health Service should work.
to pay for things like schools and hospitals.
and
council tax
Council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
Tax is the money that people pay to the
council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. It helps to pay for things like social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
.
. It is money that is taken out of the money you earn each month. You pay National Insurance so that you can get a
pension
A pension is money you get when you are older to pay for the things you need. You can pay money into your pension when you are working so there is more money for when you are older.
when you are older.
number if you have one
You can find your National Insurance number on any letters you have had about your tax, pensions or benefits.
- your bank or building society account number and sort code
- your doctor’s name, address and phone number
- information about the health condition or disability which you need someone to help you with.
Step 3: Apply for Attendance Allowance
You can apply for Attendance Allowance online or by post.
If you want to claim by post, you can:
- download the Attendance Allowance form from the Government’s
website
A website is a page you can go to on the internet like Google or YouTube.
, or
- contact the Attendance Allowance helpline and ask them to send you a form:
Phone: 0800 731 0122
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 731 0122. Relay UK is for people who cannot hear or speak on the phone.
You can contact the Attendance Allowance helpline Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
If you download the form from the government’s website, you can:
- print the form out and fill it in with a black pen, or
- fill in the form on your laptop or desktop computer and then print it out
You can not fill in the form on your mobile phone or tablet.
It is ok to ask someone who knows you well to help you fill in the form.
When you have filled in the form it is a good idea to take photos of the form, or to make a copy of it so you can see what you wrote.
When you have filled in the form, send it to:
Freepost,
DWP Attendance Allowance
What happens after you have applied for Attendance Allowance?
After you apply for Attendance Allowance,
the Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is sometimes called the DWP. It is part of the government and manages payments and benefits like Universal Credit,
Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is the name of a benefit that some people with a disability or health condition get. The money is to pay for extra help you might need to look after yourself and to get around. Some people who used to get
Disability Living Allowance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is the name of a benefit that some people with a disability get. The money is to pay for extra help you might need to look after yourself and to get around. Disability Living Allowance is being replaced by a benefit called Personal
Independence
Independence means doing things on your own. Making your own choices.
Payment (PIP).
(DLA) now get PIP instead.
,
Employment
Employment means having a job.
and Support Allowance, and Income Support.
(DWP) will contact you in the next 3 weeks to let you know when they will decide if you can get Attendance Allowance.
When the DWP decide, they will let you know if you will get Attendance Allowance.
If you can not get Attendance Allowance, the DWP will tell you why.
If you can get Attendance Allowance, the DWP will tell you how much money you will get.
If you can get Attendance Allowance and someone looks after you for at least 35 hours per week, they might be able to apply for Carers Allowance.
This
Easy Read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
was first published 03/06/2024
Last updated: 03/06/2024.