East Dunbartonshire MP to quiz UK government on return to parliament
A new report by the National Audit Office has found as many as 60,476 Scots may have been underpaid £3,803 each in Attendance Allowance.
Now East Dunbartonshire MP, Amy Callaghan, is set to table written questions forcing the UK government to come clean on the scale of the issue. In what she described as a “shocking” level of underpayment, the local MP has challenged the new prime minister to “get a grip of the woefully inadequate” UK social security system.
Attendance Allowance is a social security payment that helps with extra costs if a person has a physical or mental disability or illness severe enough that it impacts their daily life. Claimants can receive up to £369.60 every four weeks.
This is an issue likely to disproportionate impact East Dunbartonshire, with the number of local people of retirement age significantly higher than the Scottish and UK averages.
Commenting, Amy Callaghan MP said:
“Attendance Allowance is supposed to help people suffering ill health, making it easier for them to stay at home. It’s such an important part of our social security system and it’s simply not good enough that people are missing out on what they’re due.
“I will submit written questions on my return to parliament to get a sense of the scale of the problem in East Dunbartonshire. The UK government must come clean with MPs about how many of our constituents are impacted, particularly given the cost of living crisis.
“Time and time again, it’s our older citizens who miss out on support. Just look at the low uptake of Pension Credit and the UK government’s inability, or unwillingness, to drive up those numbers.
“If you think you’ve been underpaid, you should contact the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122.”