People have been urged to check if they can get more DWP help as experts warn many people don’t even know the support is available. You can get a range of financial support from the Government depending on your situation, such as if you have certain health conditions.
But experts fear many people could be missing out on hundreds of pounds in funds they are entitled to. One group who could be missing out on help they can get is people with dementia.
Rebecca Lamb, external relations manager at debt support group Money Wellness, said: “There’s a real danger that the financial impact of dementia is being overlooked, despite more families being affected every year. A lot of the focus quite rightly goes on healthcare and social care, but there’s also a huge financial side to this that many families are quietly struggling with behind closed doors.”
She said that one benefit people with dementia may miss out on is Attendance Allowance, which supports people of state pension age who have a health condition where they need another person’s help to look after them. The benefit pays £76.70 a week at the lower rate and £114.60 a week at the higher rate.
This equates to over £3,900 or more than £5,900 each year. Claiming the benefit can also open up access to help, such as more Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or a council tax reduction. Ms Lamb said other support for people with dementia includes breathing space schemes, debt write-offs and specialist support from banks or creditors.
Ms Lamb explained how people with dementia can end up missing out. She said: “As dementia progresses, people can find it harder to manage bills, deal with paperwork or spot financial problems early.
“At the same time, families are trying to navigate a support system that often feels confusing and disconnected. One of the biggest issues isn’t always a lack of support. It’s that people simply don’t know what help exists until they’re already in crisis.”
View 2 ImagesYou may be able to claim more DWP support(Image: Getty)
This comes after experts at life insurance firm Zurich raised concerns that people are not planning ahead financially for the possibility they will be affected by dementia. This is despite the condition now being the UK’s leading cause of death, with half of UK adults knowing someone who is impacted by the condition.
Peter Hamilton, head of market engagement at Zurich UK, also said there is a risk people are not getting what they are due. He said: “Many benefits are not automatic, meaning that you or your LPA (lasting power of attorney) must apply for them, which is a key barrier for people with cognitive impairment.”
He pointed to research indicating that some people with the condition could be missing out on between £1,000 and £5,000 a year in unclaimed benefits.
Article continues below
Mr Hamilton said: “People with dementia are disproportionately likely to miss out due to complex systems, cognitive decline, and low awareness. Lack of diagnosis also contributes, with more than a third of people with dementia in the UK not having a formal diagnosis, limiting access to support.”