There may come a time when you need financial support to help with extra costs or when circumstances change. There are means and non-means tested benefits available if you are living with dementia and need help with extra costs or if you care for a person with dementia.
Benefits advice and help
If you are thinking of applying for benefits for yourself or on behalf of a person with dementia, we recommend getting advice before making an application. The Alzheimer’s Society and Carers UK can provide advice about the application process and what you may be entitled to. If you are already receiving some benefits, you can check if you are receiving the right amount of money and if you may be entitled to other benefits. You can do this online, face to face or over the phone.
The Disability Benefits Center page on gov.uk provides the telephone numbers for disability benefits advice. Please note – the benefits enquiry line service is no longer provided.
The Alzheimer’s Society Helpline 0300 222 1122 can provide details about benefits guidance and what support you may be entitled to.
If you care for someone with dementia, you can call the Carers UK Adviceline on 0808 808 7777 for benefits advice and help.
Checking your benefits entitlement
There are a number of sites that can help you check what benefits may be available to you before you apply or you can check if you are getting the help you are entitled to. Online benefits checks usually take at least 20 minutes to complete but may not be suitable for people using assistive technology;
The Alzheimer’s Society Helpline 0300 222 1122 can provide details about benefits guidance and what support you may be entitled to.
- The Benefits adviser from gov.uk for information about the range of benefits available and what you could be entitled to.
- The Entitled to benefits adviser to check that you are receiving the benefits and support you should be entitled to.
- The Turn to us benefits search to check that you are getting the correct benefits and finding out whats available.
Benefits entitlements for people with dementia
Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are benefits to help you meet the extra costs of your disability. The difference between them is at the age you can first claim them: Personal Independence Payment is for people aged 16-64, and Attendance Allowance is for people aged 65 or over.
How to make a claim
The gov.uk Personal Independence Payment guide provides detailed information about PIP, eligibility criteria and how to claim. The gov.uk Attendance Allowance guide provides detailed information about Attendance Allowance, eligibility criteria and how to claim.
Claiming benefits on behalf of someone else
If you are supporting or caring for someone with dementia, there may come a time when they need someone to help them apply for benefits on their behalf. You can help by completing application forms, but you can only claim benefits on behalf of someone else if you have registered as an appointee, a deputy or are acting as an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney.
A registered deputy or appointee can claim benefits on behalf of a person with dementia and can make payments in the persons best interest from benefits paid directly to them. An appointee usually deals just with benefits. Deputies have wider powers and are authorized to make decisions about financial or personal welfare on behalf of a person who lacks mental capacity .
Become a deputy
To become an deputy you will need to apply to the courts and be assessed before you can act on someone else’s behalf. You can read more about the application process, who to apply to and download the application form from gov.uk Apply to become a deputy.
Become an appointee
To become an appointee you will need to apply to the Department of Work and Pensions and be assessed. You can read more about the application process, who to apply to and download the application form from gov.uk Becoming an appointee.
Lasting power of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney is used to make a persons wishes known about how their affairs are to be managed should they become unable to do so in the future. A Lasting Power of Attorney can be set up at any time and is one of the tools available to help you when Making your wishes known. You can document how your finances, assets and care will be managed, and by whom, when you are no longer able to make decisions or need help to do so.
