List of eye conditions that could get you up to £434 a month from DWP - check if you qualify

People who have sight loss or a degenerative eye condition could get help with their costs of living.

According to figures, more than 59,267 working age adults under 65 are receiving extra financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP), while 47,333 people over State Pension age are getting weekly help through Attendance Allowance. Three out of four people with a visual impairment are aged over 65 with around 8,000 people of working age registered blind or partially sighted.

For adults who lose their sight in later life, it can be very distressing as they feel they are no longer able to enjoy some of the activities they love to do, such as driving, taking part in sports, reading and cooking. Mobility can also be affected and with that may come independence and travel issues, although it’s important to be aware that the dedicated disability benefit for people over State Pension age - Attendance Allowance - does not include a component for mobility needs.

• Read More: Five DWP benefit changes and what they mean for you - from Universal Credit to PIP reforms

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Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The benefit is designed to help people of State Pension age with daily living expenses and can also help them stay independent in their own home for longer, reports the Daily Record.

The latest DWP figures show that in August 2023 there were 47,333 people receiving either £68.10 or £101.75 each week for a ‘Visual Disorder or Disease’. You should consider applying for Attendance Allowance if you have a disability or illness and need help or supervision throughout the day or at times during the night - even if you do not currently get that help.

You could get either £72.65 for the lower rate or £108.55 for the higher rate during the 2024/25 financial year. Attendance Allowance won't affect your State Pension and you can even claim it if you're still working and earning money. However, you won't be able to get Attendance Allowance if you already get PIP or DLA to pay for your care.

Common eye conditions affecting older people

There are over 45 eye conditions affecting adults across the country, these include:

• Cataract

• Myopia (short-sightedness)

• Macular Degeneration - Wet and Dry (also referred to as age-related MD)

• Glaucoma

• Retinitis Pigmentosa

• Retina and optic nerve - other diseases of / type not known

• Diabetic Retinopathy (a condition that can cause vision loss in people with diabetes)

If you, or someone you know, under State Pension age has a sight condition, you should consider making a new claim for PIP. If you, or someone you know, is over State Pension age and living with a sight condition, even really high myopia (short sightedness), you should consider making a claim for Attendance Allowance.

Sight loss conditions

These are common health issues affecting eyesight that are being supported through disability benefits, but if your condition is not listed, it doesn’t mean it’s not supported.

Diseases of conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids and lacrimal apparatus

• Conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids and lacrimal apparatus - Other diseases of / type not known

• Corneal ulceration

• Entropion

• Herpes zoster - ophthalmic

• Keratitis

• Keratoconus

• Orbital cellulitis

• Ptosis

• Scleritis

Uveitis

• Anterior Uveitis (iritis)

• Chorioretinal disorders - Other / type not known

• Posterior (choroiditis)

Glaucoma

Visual injuries to the eye

Vitreous disease

• Posterior vitreous detachment

• Vitreous disease - Other / type not known

• Vitreous haemorrhage

Diseases of the retina and optic nerve

• Diabetic retinopathy

• Hypertensive retinopathy

• Macular degeneration

• Optic atrophy

• Optic neuritis

• Retina and optic nerve - Other diseases of / type not known

• Retinal artery occlusion

• Retinal detachment

• Retinal vein occlusion

• Retinitis Pigmentosa

• Retinopathy - Other / type not known

Cataract

Refractive errors

• Astigmatism

• Hypermetropia (long-sighted)

• Myopia (short-sighted)

• Presbyopia

• Refractive errors - Other / type not known

Disorders of eye movement

• Eye movement - Other disorders of / type not known

• Nystagmus

• Strabismus (Squint)

Visual field defects

• Amblyopia

• Cortical blindness

• Diplopia (double vision)

• Hemianopia

• Quadrantanopia

• Scotoma

• Tunnel vision

• Visual field defects - Other / type not known

Find out more about Attendance Allowance on the GOV.UK website here.