Information and advice: Benefits and entitlements
- Location: Age UK Oxfordshire
- Price: Free
Age UK Oxfordshire
9 Napier Court
Barton Lane
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX14 3YT
United Kingdom
Email: helpline@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk
Telephone: 0345 450 1276
There are many different entitlements available to older people, and as we age our circumstances can change, so it is good to check you are not missing out on anything. We can help you to understand what you are entitled to and how to apply.
What we do
Since 2001, we've helped older people in Oxfordshire receive an additional £28 million of benefits. We can work with you to check your entitlement, helping you to complete claims and sorting out problems.
If you are over state pension age you may be entitled to one of a number of benefits, including:
- Attendance Allowance
- Carers Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
Some benefits are based on a person’s health, physical or mental disability, others on the person’s financial situation. A number of benefits are interlinked so that receipt of one benefit triggers or increases entitlement to another.
Entitlement rules can be quite complicated, and everyone’s circumstances are different. It is therefore very important to get expert advice on what you may be entitled to.
Personal circumstances change as we get older: health can deteriorate, housing situations change, and bereavement can affect us all. Major life changes can bring about new entitlements to benefits, so it is particularly important that if you have recently experienced a major change in your life you find out if this has affected your entitlement to benefits.
Age UK's Benefits Calculator will provide an estimate of what benefits you could be entitled to. The calculator is free to use and the details you provide are anonymous.
Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance (AA) is not ‘means tested’ or taxed. It is intended to help people over state pension age with an illness or disabilities, who have been having difficulties or needing help with personal care for 6 months or more (but you can claim immediately if you have a terminal illness).
Attendance Allowance is in the same group of disability benefits as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA). If you already get PIP or DLA, you can’t claim AA as well.
The money that Attendance Allowance awards you is to give you the option to get someone to help you if you wish. If you decide not to, then you can use the money for something else – it’s not just help with personal care that can make life easier.
Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates, lower rate if you have difficulties during either the day or the night or the higher rate if you have difficulties during both the day and the night.
Order an application form by calling 0800 731 0122. You will have six weeks from the day you order the form to fill it in and return it to the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP).
Read our 'Top tips guide' on completing the form.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit, which also serves as a gateway to other forms of support, could go a long way in helping some older people meet rising costs. However, across the county an estimated 4,372 older people are not claiming the benefit to which they’re entitled, equating to a staggering £8,240,700 in unclaimed entitlement locally.
We are determined to ensure that all local older people are receiving the financial help to which they’re entitled, and so if you think you, a family member, or someone you care for might be entitled to Pension Credit, we strongly urge you to check.
To complete a benefits check to see whether you or someone you care for is eligible for Pension Credit or other benefits you can use the Age UK Benefits Calculator by clicking the link below.
If you require additional information and support, we have produced an Information Sheet which you can download below. This also provides information about local advice agencies who can help.
Pension Credit Information Sheet
Find out if you are eligible for Pension Credit.
Carers Allowance
Carer’s Allowance is a £76.75 weekly payment for those that spend at least 35 hours a week caring and earn £139 or less a week.
Earnings are calculated after deducting allowable expenses, such as tax, National Insurance, and some pension contributions. If you’re claiming Universal Credit, you may get a carer element even if you earn over £139 a week. Carer’s Allowance is a complex benefit that ‘overlaps’ with some payments, such as State Pension. Claiming it can affect the benefits of the person you care for if you don’t live with them. In these circumstances, it’s important to get specific advice before applying.
To claim, call the Carer’s Allowance Unit on 0800 731 0297 or visit the link below.
Oxfordshire Specialist Advice Service (OSAS)
For those who need specialist support, this is available through OSAS, which is a service we provide in partnership with Citizen’s Advice and Oxfordshire Welfare Rights.
You can call on 01865 410 660 or email advice@oxfordshiresas.org.uk for a referral form.