Benefits for older people
These are the benefits that you could claim if you are over state pension age and blind or partially sighted
Attendance Allowance
If you’re a pensioner, and you have a sight problem, you may have all sorts of extra expenses. Attendance Allowance can help you with these extra costs if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Attendance Allowance has been replaced with Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) for people living in Scotland. Please go to “Benefits in Scotland” for more information about PADP.
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Pension Credit
Pension Credit helps you top up your state retirement pension if you have a relatively low income. You may even get it if you have some savings and a modest retirement income, and it can be paid on top of your state retirement pension.
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Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support are administered by your local authority and can help with the cost of rent and/or council tax. The amount received will depend on your circumstances. The system is slightly different for people living in Northern Ireland.
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Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
It is no longer possible for adults to make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), as this benefit has been replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP). However, many adults are still in receipt of DLA, as this benefit can continue to be paid after state pension age provided it was claimed beforehand.
If a DLA claimant was already aged 65 or over on 08 April 2013, (20 June 2016 for people living in Northern Ireland), they can report a change to their condition and stay on DLA. If the claimant was under 65 on this date, then they will be reassessed for PIP instead of DLA.
Please note that Scotland now has its own version of DLA, called Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA). It is not possible to make a new claim for this benefit, but people living in Scotland and in receipt of DLA (administered by the DWP) will be moved to SADLA by a process called “Case Transfer”. For more information on this, use our factsheet: SADLA case transfer Scotland.
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Find out more about concessions for blind and partially sighted people.
Calculate your benefits
The benefits you’re entitled to depend on your own personal circumstances. We have an easy-to-use calculator that asks you some questions about your situation and then tells you exactly how much you may be missing out on.
If you are applying for DLA on behalf of a child, please see our benefits for carers and children section.
Related FAQs
Questions that others have found useful.
