UK residents suffering from hearing loss could be eligible for up to £441.60 a month in government support. If you’re of pension age and living with a hearing condition, you might qualify for Attendance Allowance.

It’s estimated that 12 million adults across Great Britain live with a hearing condition or deafness. However, only 35,633 of them are currently receiving additional financial aid through Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), Attendance Allowance, or Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP).

As highlighted by the Daily Record, over 9,300 individuals above State Pension age are now receiving either £73.90 for the lower rate or £110.40 for the higher rate of Attendance Allowance

Payments are typically made every four weeks, equating to either £296.60 or £441.60 per pay period.

There are 15 primary hearing conditions supported through these three disability benefits. However, this is not an exhaustive list as the benefit caters to a continually evolving range of conditions.

If you or someone you know under State Pension age has a hearing condition, it may be worth considering a new claim for PIP or ADP (which has now replaced all new claims for PIP in Scotland).

If you or someone you know is aged 66 or over and living with a hearing impairment, it may be worth considering a claim for Attendance Allowance or PADP. Currently, nearly 1.7 million people across Great Britain are being supported by Attendance Allowance.

Both Attendance Allowance and PADP are designed to assist individuals of State Pension age with daily living expenses, potentially enabling them to maintain their independence at home for longer. It’s crucial to note that unlike PIP or ADP, there is no mobility component for Attendance Allowance or PADP; these benefits solely provide support for the additional cost of daily living.

As of August 2024, the number of Attendance Allowance claimants for hearing impairments was as follows:

• Scotland: 890
• England: 7,948
• Wales: 690
• Living Abroad: 26.

Various hearing conditions are supported through disability benefits. If your condition isn’t listed below, it doesn’t mean it’s unsupported—it may fall under the ‘unknown’ category.

Conductive hearing loss conditions include:

• 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.

Sensorineural hearing loss conditions include:

• Deafness – congenital
• Labyrinthitis
• Menieres disease
• Presbyacusis
• Sensorineural hearing loss – Other causes/type not known
• Sensorineural hearing loss due to trauma.

Other hearing conditions include:

• Mixed hearing loss
• Other diseases affecting hearing and balance.

Complete information on how to claim Attendance Allowance is available on the GOV.UK website here.