Home & health
Attendance Allowance, prescription costs, the TV licence and Lasting Powers of Attorney: the money side of home life and health.
Home & health
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, and that surprises a lot of families
Attendance Allowance is paid at £76.70 or £114.60 a week in 2026/27, whatever your savings or income. It is tax-free, and an award can also raise Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.
Home & health
Why the free TV licence at 75 now hinges on Pension Credit
A colour TV licence costs £180 from 1 April 2026. People aged 75 or over can get one free if they or a partner they live with get Pension Credit, but they have to apply.
Home & health
Free prescriptions at 60, and the help that exists before you get there
Prescriptions in England cost £9.90 an item in 2026/27 and become free at 60. Before that, medical exemptions, prepayment certificates and the NHS Low Income Scheme can cut the cost or remove it.
Home & health
Why a Lasting Power of Attorney is easier to set up while nobody needs it
A Lasting Power of Attorney can only be made while you still have mental capacity. Registration costs £92 per document in 2026, far less than the court route families face without one.
Every Thursday: one rule, one date, one source.
The Thursday Briefing explains in a few minutes what is changing with benefits, tax, savings and household money in the UK, and links to the official page each time.