Attendance Allowance at risk

Kitty

I know quite a lot of us over 65s receive, or might soon need Attendance Allowance. I thought the following might be of interest.

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What is Attendance Allowance, and why does this matter?

Attendance Allowance is a weekly payment that helps older disabled people meet some of the extra costs they face. It's a vital means of support that allows hundreds of thousands of older people, like Carmel pictured above, stay healthier and independent in their own homes, without having to turn to local authority social care for help.

As we get older, many of us will find ourselves having to cope with illness and disability. And very often this comes with a higher price tag for things like specialist food, equipment, clothing, and paying for transport to get out and about.

Why is Attendance Allowance under threat?

Like other disability benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance is managed nationally by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). But the Government is proposing passing responsibility for Attendance Allowance to councils, which would create a postcode lottery of support for older disabled people and put the future of the benefit under threat.

As well as taking away the freedom for older disabled people to decide what help they need to maintain their independence, it’s likely that council budgets won’t be able to keep pace with the needs of their ageing populations. And this will mean many older people who become disabled in future could be left to struggle by with less help or even no support at all.

How you can help

There is still time to change the Government’s mind, but we need your help. We've written an open letter to the ministers who will make the final decision on the proposal, and we need as many people to sign the letter as well to show

Please support our campaign and sign our open letter

Further information
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