Up to £407 a month could go to state pensioners suffering from poor eyesight. The DWP will provide a cash boost to those with certain eye conditions.

They may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or attendance allowance to help with daily living expenses. Around two million people in the UK live with some form of sight loss or degenerative eye condition.

Attendance allowance is a tax-free benefit designed to help people over state pension age with living expenses and the costs of staying independent in their own homes. More than 1.4 million people across Britain claim attendance allowance, which provides between £272.40 and £407 a month – depending on the level of support needed.

Read more: DWP Cost of Living payment dates for the rest of 2023 and who is eligible

PIP can support younger people with eye conditions. More information about attendance allowance can be found on the GOV.UK website here, while details about PIP can be read here.

Glaucoma and cataracts are covered by PIP and attendance allowance. Below is a list of further common eye conditions covered, though it is not exhaustive. You may still be eligible for payments if your health issue is not included.

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)

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

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

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