Dementia families are missing out on as much as £15,000 a year in Government support because they do not realise they are eligible

Families of people with dementia are missing out on as much as £15,000 a year in Government support because they do not realise they are eligible, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.Patients and their carers may be entitled to a range of benefits to help with the financial burden of the incurable brain disease, which affects nearly one million people in the UK.These include weekly payments for both carers and patients as well as help with prescription costs and council tax.But a survey by Alzheimer's Society, viewed exclusively by this newspaper, reveals that nearly half of carers are unaware of this support.The findings come a week after the Daily Mail and the Mail Force charity launched a major fundraising appeal to support the Dementia Carers Together programme, which will provide vital support and information to dementia families.Set up by Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer Scotland, the scheme will offer six-week courses about the rights and services available to carers. Andy Burnham has backed Mail Force's Dementia Carers Together campaign after his father Roy (right) died in September, having suffered from the disease in the final years of his life The weekly two-hour sessions will cover topics including managing danger at home, navigating changes in hygiene and dealing with confusion.Carers will also be taught the ways to cope with the toll on their mental health.Crucially, one session will cover unlocking Government support, including what carers and patients are entitled to medically and financially. Our goal is to raise at least £1million to fund the courses for a year. If the appeal reaches £2million, they can run for two years, or three years if it raises £3million.Last week, the Prime Minister backed our campaign, after revealing how his mother Eileen was left 'sinking' under the strain of caring for his father Roy, who had Alzheimer's disease.'The country is dependent upon people who are caring for partners, loved ones, unpaid,' said Andy Burnham. 'And we've got to see them, recognise them, hear them when they say that [they] need more to make this sustainable.'Experts say that the scheme will be vital for carers, who are often too busy to research exactly what they and their loved ones are entitled to – or to fill out complicated applications alone.The Alzheimer's Society polled 1,000 dementia patients and carers and found that 48 per cent did not know about Carer's Allowance – around £86 a week for those caring for someone for at least 35 hours a week. Meanwhile, 42 per cent were unaware of Attendance Allowance – a weekly payment of up to £114 for pensioners who need help with day-to-day care.And more than a third did not know that people with dementia can be disregarded for council tax – entitling a two-person household to a 25 per cent discount.Added up, a couple of pension age who are unaware of these benefits could be missing out on as much as £12,000 a year. For younger couples, the figure rises to £15,000. A tribute to the Prime Minister's father was displayed at Hill Dickinson Stadium during Everton's League Cup match against Wolves in SeptemberLauren Pates, senior knowledge officer at Alzheimer's Society, says: 'Most carers will have heard about benefits but they don't realise they are eligible for them.'They often assume these benefits are means-tested but many, like Attendance Allowance, are not. A new dementia diagnosis – or a suspected diagnosis – can be one of the most stressful times in the lives of a patient and their carers. Many don't have time to stop and research benefits.'It doesn't help that many of the applications are pretty complex. The Attendance Allowance form is around 30 pages, which can be off-putting.'Ms Pates says it is important that carers access financial support as soon after a diagnosis as possible.She adds: 'It's better to have these benefits in place before the patient's symptoms progress. You don't want to be in a crisis before you decide to apply for support.'Carers who sign up for the Dementia Carers Together programme will receive help accessing these benefits – and much more.' Dementia Carers Together Dementia Carers Together is raising money to fund new courses across the UK to give tens of thousands of struggling unpaid dementia carers vital emotional and practical support. For further information, visit dailymail.com/dementiaHow you can donateOnline: Click here.By Text: To donate £10, text CARER to 70115. To donate £20, text LOVE to 70115. To donate £30, text HEART to 70115. Texts will cost your donation amount plus your network charge.By phone: Call 0300 1234577. Standard charges may apply.By cheque: Send cheques made payable to Mail Force Charity to:Dementia Carers Together, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester CO2 8JY