Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment. These benefits are paid in addition to monthly pension, and they are not paid without eligibility to Pension.  

Generally, a veteran must have at least 90 days of active duty service, with at least one day during a wartime period to qualify for a VA Pension. If you entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally you must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called or ordered to activeduty (with some exceptions), with at least one day during a wartime period.

In addition to meeting minimum service requirements, the veteran must be:

• Age 65 or older, OR

• Totally and permanently disabled, OR

• A patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, OR

• Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, or Supplemental Security Income

Your yearly family income must be less than the amount set by Congress to qualify for the veterans Pension benefit. Learn more about income and net worth limitation, and see an example of how VA calculates the VA Pension benefit.

A veteran or surviving spouse may be eligible for Aid and Attendance Pension when:

• Requires the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment, OR

• Bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment, OR

• A patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, OR

• Your eyesight is limited to a corrected visual acuity of 5/200 or less, in both eyes, or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less.

A veteran or surviving spouse may be eligible for Housebound Pension when:

• The veteran has a single permanent disability evaluated as 100% disabling AND, due to such disability, they are permanently and substantially confined to their immediate premises, OR

• The veteran has a single permanent disability evaluated as 100% disabling AND, another disability, or disabilities, evaluated as 60% or more disabling.

Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment. These benefits are paid in addition to monthly pension.

Note: A veteran or surviving spouse may not receive Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound benefits at the same time.

Housebound

If you receive VA pension and spend most of your time in your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that does not go away), you may be eligible for this benefit.

How to Apply:

You may apply for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits by filling out, or have your doctor complete, VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance) and mailing it to the Pension Management Center (PMC) that serves your state. You may also visit your local regional benefit office to file your request. You can locate your local regional benefit office using the VA Facility Locator.

You should include copies of any evidence, preferably a report from an attending physician validating the need for Aid and Attendance or Housebound type care.

• The report should be in sufficient detail to determine whether there is disease or injury producing physical or mental impairment, loss of coordination, or conditions affecting the ability to dress and undress, to feed oneself, to attend to sanitary needs, and to keep oneself ordinarily clean and presentable.

• Whether the claim is for Aid and Attendance or Housebound, the report should indicate how well the applicant gets around, where the applicant goes, and what he or she is able to do during a typical day. In addition, it is necessary to determine whether the claimant is confined to the home or immediate premises.

If you are in a nursing home, you will also need to fill out a Request for Nursing Home Information in Connection with Claim for Aid and Attendance (VA Form 21-0779).

For more information regarding the VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits, please refer to the following website maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):
https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/

https://www.va.gov/pension/eligibility/

Survivors Pension Rate Table:
https://www.va.gov/pension/survivors-pension-rates/

Veterans Pension Rate Table:
https://www.va.gov/pension/veterans-pension-rates/