Martin Lewis says you could get as much as £6,000 (Image: ITVX)
Money expert Martin Lewis is urging people to get an extra £6,000 a year if they are age and have a long-term condition – regardless of how much money you have.
Talking to his viewers via The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on and ITVX, Money Saving Expert founder Martin urged pensioners who are “ill or disabled” to make sure they are getting a benefit called .
The benefit could give you up to £108.55 per week and it’s not means-tested, for a total of £5,644 per year which will be going up again from April 1.
That means that regardless of how much income you have, how much you have in savings or what else you own, you will still be eligible for the full benefit worth up to about £6,000 a year in cash payments from the
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The money saving guru says the benefit is worth £6,000 (Image: Getty)
Martin told his viewers: “This is for disabled or ill people of age, we need to collectively work together to spread word on this one.
“Most importantly, is not means tested, they do not look at your means or how much money you’ve got.
“You’re either entitled to it or not entitled to it regardless of finances.
“It is for those who need help with daily living. Both mental and physical conditions.”
Martin then outlined how much this could be worth, especially as it doesn’t take into account any of your other income or savings, unlike the new .
He said: “So let’s look at the amounts. If you need help during the day or in the night, but not both, is the lower rate £73 a week so just under £4,000 a year.
“If you need help during the day and at night, that’s the higher rate, £109 a week, just under £6,000 a year.”
The money saving guru then set out extra conditions of the payout.
He said: “Now to be eligible for , you must have needed help for six consecutive months. This is crucially important. You must have NEEDED help, not have got help. There are many people out there who need help but haven’t got help, which is why is there.
“So it is about the need, not the actuality of what happens.”
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The law states that help is defined as help with tasks such as breathing, hearing, seeing, eating, drinking, walking, getting dressed or in and out of bed including others, so the help is broad.
The government said it’s paid at and how much you get depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability or health condition.
You could get £72.65 or £108.55 a week to help with personal support if both of the following apply:
- you have a physical disability, a mental disability, or a health condition
- you’re or older.
It adds: “You could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get .
“You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim.”