The DWP can pay you up to £430 a month if you have one of these 14 hearing conditions

Thousands of hearing impaired people could lose an extra £430 a month from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Attendance Allowance is a benefit given to those over State Pension age who have a condition or disability and need assistance with day-to-day care.

This allowance, paid by the DWP, is one of two disability benefits available to adults in the UK, the other being Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for those of working age – below the state pension age of 66. Similar to disability receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP), there is no specific condition that qualifies you for Attendance Allowance as it depends on the care/support you need to manage everyday life.

This could include help with bathing and dressing, medical treatment, using the toilet, mealtimes or help with confusion, the Mirror reports. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) estimates that around 18 million people in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or suffer from tinnitus – equivalent to around one in three adults.

Read more:

Regain Hearing, a charity, states that although hearing loss can often be prevented, treated or minimized, some conditions or problems with the quality of hearing are progressive or irreversible. The charity RNID pointed out that hearing loss can affect everyday activities such as driving, answering phone calls and shopping.

If your hearing loss affects your daily life and communication with others, you may be eligible to claim Attendance Allowance. This benefit is designed to help people maintain their independence at home and the money can be used in any way the recipient sees fit.

It is important to note that you do not need a carer or even a formal diagnosis of your condition to apply for Attendance Allowance. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says that as long as you have needed help, supervision or experienced difficulties for six months because of your condition, you are eligible to claim.

What’s more, Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so your income or savings won’t affect what you get. There are currently two rates of attendance allowance – a higher rate and a lower rate. Your eligibility for these rates depends on the level of help you need.

The lower rate is currently £72.65 per week, while the higher rate is £108.55 per week. If you qualify for a higher rate, you could get over £430 a month or £5,600 a year.

The lower rate is given to those who need help during the day or night, while the higher rate is given to those who need help both day and night or who are terminally ill. It is important to note that if you are already receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP) or the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) you will not be eligible for Attendance Allowance.

There are 14 hearing conditions that are often taken into account for Attendance Allowance. Are:

• Chronic secretory otitis media
• Chronic suppurative otitis media
• Conductive hearing loss – Other causes/type not known
• Conductive hearing loss due to trauma
• mastoiditis
• Otitis externa – chronic
• Otosclerosis
• Deafness – congenital
• maze
• Meniere’s disease
• presbycusis
• Sensorineural hearing loss – Other causes/unknown type
• Sensorineural hearing loss due to trauma
• Mixed hearing loss

As previously mentioned, eligibility for this benefit is based on how your ability to perform daily tasks is affected, meaning that a wide range of conditions and disabilities can make you eligible. If your state is not listed here, you should still apply if you think you meet the criteria.