Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that people who qualify for attendance allowance have been made aware of that scheme and of their eligibility for it.

Justin Tomlinson

Attendance Allowance (AA) is available to those who have long term care or supervision needs that arise from age 65 onwards. The Department is committed to encouraging older people to take up the benefits they are entitled to and goes to considerable lengths to publicise benefits. Information is available from the Department’s offices; advice agencies, including local authorities. Information about all benefits and how these may be claimed is readily available on the GOV.UK website, or through the DWP Information Line.

Information for welfare rights advisers, available on GOV.UK, includes specific detailed benefits information; this same information is used by Decision Makers in DWP.

Additionally, the Department’s National Partnerships Team works with customer representative organisations, both nationally and locally, to provide a wide range of advice and support for older people. Over 300 of these partner organisations operate as an Alternative Office, taking and verifying Attendance Allowance claims on behalf of the Secretary of State. And for those unable to access services through other channels, a visiting service is available to help with information and claims.