Even if you are not entitled to income support, you may be be able to receive other help, such as housing benefit or council tax benefit. Age Concern estimates that up to 670,000 older people miss out on benefits each year. One of the benefits most commonly overlooked is the attendance allowance, which is awarded to people who are physically or mentally ill or who need supervision from someone else, for instance if help is needed in washing or moving around the house. Most people think they have to be completely disabled to qualify for this allowance, but in fact you just have to have impaired movement. It also does not require a medical, which is why it is particularly important to fill out the form for this benefit correctly and to describe your precise needs correctly.
Many people downplay their physical limitations.
Normally you must meet the conditions for six months before you can claim, although exceptions are made for the terminally ill. Currently, people can be in a home for up to 52 weeks without the value of their house being included in the calculations as to how much they should be paying, provided they are only temporary residents. This new regulation means that elderly people, whom it has already been decided will need to be cared for in a home on a permanent basis, will be able to stay for the first three months without the value of their house being taken into consideration for the calculation of fees, which can cost up to 25,000 a year. But it is not nearly enough in general. It does nothing to address the issue of free personal care, for instance, which would affect far more people.