What are Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits?

Aid and Attendance (A&A) is a benefit paid in addition to monthly pension. This benefit may not be paid without eligibility to pension. A veteran may be eligible for A&A when:

  • The veteran requires the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required by everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting himself from the hazards of his daily environment
  • The veteran is bedridden, in that his disability or disabilities requires that he remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment
  • The veteran is a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity
  • The veteran is blind, or so nearly blind as to have corrected visual acuity or 5/200 or less in both eyes, or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less

Housebound is paid in addition to monthly pension. Like A&A, Housebound benefits may not be paid without eligibility to pension. A veteran may be eligible for Housebound benefits when:

  • The veteran has a single permanent disability evaluated as 100 percent disabling and due to such disability, he is permanently and substantially confined to his immediate premises
  • The veteran has a single permanent disability evaluated as 100 percent disabling and another disability, or disabilities, evaluated as 60 percent or more disabling

A veteran cannot receive both Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time.

Show All Answers

1. What is the Veterans Affair pension for veterans?
2. What are the periods of war?
3. Who is eligible?
4. What is countable income for veterans pension eligibility purposes?
5. What about net worth?
6. How do I apply?
7. Are there any exclusions to income or deductions that may be made to reduce countable income?
8. How does Veterans Affairs calculate your pension?
9. What are Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits?
10. If I am already receiving monthly payments or a service-connected disability can I get a Veterans Affairs pension too?
11. What are the maximum annual pension rates?