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How your benefits will be affected

Moving into a residential care home will have an impact on the benefits to which you are entitled.

If you are assessed as contributing towards the cost of your care you should apply for Pension Credit if you are aged 60 or over. If you are aged under 60, you should apply for Income Support. You should do this immediately after you are admitted to the home.

If you do not pay the full cost of your care yourself, you will only be entitled to Attendance Allowance and the care component of Disability Living Allowance for the first 4 weeks of your stay in residential care. This will also be the case with Constant Attendance Allowance, Exceptionally Severe Disability Allowance payable with Industrial Injuries, Disablement Benefit and War Disablement Pension.

You can continue to receive Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance if you are living in a residential home and are subject to a Deferred Payment Agreement, having agreed in writing to sell your house and pay back the full amount of your fees at the end of the exempt period and you are not entitled to Income Support.

It is the responsibility of you or your representative to notify the Benefits Agency and Pension Service of your move into residential care so that they can make any appropriate changes to your benefits.