Elderly people suffering from muscle or joint pain are being advised to find out if they’re eligible for additional financial aid from the Government, potentially through the Attendance Allowance benefit.

Administered by the Department for Work and Pensions, this allowance helps with extra expenses if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you require someone to help care for you, reports ManchesterEveningNews.

It’s disbursed at two different rates, and the amount you get depends on the level of care your condition requires.

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You could be entitled to £73.90 or £110.40 a week to help with personal support if you have a health condition and you’re of State Pension age or older.

According to statistics, arthritis remains the most common condition claimed for by almost 484,000 pensioners on Attendance Allowance across Britain.

But, there are also 74,804 people over 66 claiming support for muscle, joint and back pain.

Joint pain, particularly lower back pain, is very common and while it typically improves within a few weeks, it can sometimes persist or recur, especially as we age.

Some 2.5 million people across the UK experience back pain every day of the year and many may not realise they could be entitled to financial support to help with any extra costs the condition incurs.

Data from the DWP reveals that there are now 1.7 million elderly people receiving support through Attendance Allowance. You do not need to have a carer in order to claim.

Eligibility for Attendance Allowance isn’t influenced by savings or income and is paid every four weeks. This means that individuals on the lower rate will receive approximately £295 each pay period, while those on the higher rate will receive around £441.

Across Britain, it’s estimated that 20 million people suffer from arthritis or similar conditions affecting the joints.

Therefore, if you’re living with arthritis, back pain, joint pain, muscle pain or chronic pain, you could be eligible for support.

Who is eligible

You can get Attendance Allowance if you’ve reached State Pension age and the following apply:

your disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety

you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition

you have needed that help for at least 6 months

You must also:

have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply if you’re a refugee or have humanitarian protection status)

not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)

be in Great Britain when you claim – there are some exceptions, such as members and family members of the armed forces

be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands

not get Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP) or Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA)