Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of take-up rates of attendance allowance in each of the last five years for which data are available.

The Government currently spends £5.8 billion a year providing some help to 1.43 million people of pension age with the cost of their care needs. Attendance Allowance provides financial support towards the extra costs faced by those with a severe disability. It is only available to those over State Pension age who require care or supervision as a result of their disability.

Information on the availability of Attendance Allowance is widely available including online on GOV.UK; from places such as Libraries and Doctors Surgeries; directly from Health Care Professionals who might be supporting those with care needs; and from a range of groups and charities who provide advice and support to elderly people with care needs. DWP continually seeks to improve the information it makes available so as to encourage people to claim Attendance Allowance where they may be entitled. We have not made any estimates in take-up rates of Attendance Allowance.