DWP warning for pensioners as payments could stop

State pensioners with certain conditions could see their benefits payments halted, the DWP has warned. The DWP has strict Attendance Allowance rules that older people need to be aware of, or they risk having their payments stopped.

The DWP has stressed that any changes in lifestyle or circumstances must be reported. It warns: "You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances." Changes that need to be reported include alterations in the level of help needed, changes in condition, hospitalisation or moving into a care home.

Other significant changes could be if a medical professional has given a prognosis of 12 months or less to live, or plans to leave the country for more than 4 weeks. Additional changes that require reporting include imprisonment, changes in name, address or bank details, a desire to stop receiving benefits, or changes in doctor's details.

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If there are changes in immigration status for those who aren't British citizens, these also need to be reported. The lower rate of Attendance Allowance is £73.90 a week (£3,842 a year), which is received if help or supervision is needed during either the day or the night, reports Birmingham Live.

The higher rate is £110.40 a week (£5,740 a year). This is granted if help or supervision is needed during both the day and the night, or if a medical professional has given a prognosis of 12 months or less to live.

Attendance Allowance supports conditions such as:

• Arthritis.
• Spondylosis.
• Back Pain – other / precise diagnosis not specified.
• Disease of the muscles, bones or joints.
• Trauma to limbs.
• Blindness.
• Deafness.
• Heart disease.
• Chest disease.
• Asthma.
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Cerebrovascular disease.
• Peripheral vascular disease.
• Epilepsy.
• Neurological diseases.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Parkinson's.
• Motor neurone disease.
• Chronic pain syndromes.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Metabolic disease.
• Traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia.
• Major trauma other than traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia.
• Learning difficulties.
• Psychosis.
• Psychoneurosis.
• Personality disorder.
• Dementia.
• Behavioural disorder.
• Alcohol and drug abuse.
• Hyperkinetic syndrome.
• Renal disorders.
• Inflammatory dowel disease.
• Bowel and stomach disease.
• Blood disorders.
• Haemophilia.
• Multi system disorders.
• Multiple allergy syndrome.
• Skin disease.
• Malignant disease.
• Severely mentally impaired.
• Double amputee.
• Deaf/Blind.
• Haemodialysis.
• Frailty.
• Total parenteral nutrition.
• AIDS.