Mammootty latest hits

Amanda Holden cheekily mocks Holly Willoughby’s comeback

Amanda Holden , 52, caused a stir on Tuesday as she asked her Instagram followers and her Heart FM Breakfast Show listeners: “Are you ok?”

It wasn’t long before Amanda, who was previously embroiled in a reported feud with Phillip Schofield , was accused of mocking his co-star Holly Willoughby , who checked up on This Morning viewers in the exact same way upon her return to the show on Monday.

Dressed in white, just as Holly was when she broke her silence on the furore surrounding Phillip lying about an affair with a younger male colleague, Amanda smiled as she said in view of her two million followers: “Hello, it is Tuesday. Are you OK?”

However, a representative for Amanda has now hit back at the rumours, claiming the Britain’s Got Talent judge’s Instagram Story video had been “taken completely out of context”.

According to The Mirror , Amanda’s spokesperson said: “Amanda has always made it clear in the past she has no issues with Holly.

READ MORE: Phillip Schofield saga questioned by Gareth Thomas after host’s abrupt exit

Amanda Holden hits back after seemingly mocking Holly Willoughby’s This Morning statement (Image: INSTAGRAM)

“Today’s video has been taken completely out of context.”

During Holly’s statement, the star addressed viewers after Phillip’s controversial ITV exit, saying: “It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil and I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have.

“Shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on and full of questions.

“All of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved. That is a lot to process.”

Don’t miss… Jonnie Irwin shares cancer battle update after being admitted to hospital [LATEST] Piers Morgan fears Holly Willoughby will have the same ‘problem’ as Susanna Reid [OPINION] Sarah Beeny gets candid about her new ‘memory foam’ boobs after cancer battle [COMMENT]

Holly Willoughby asked ‘are you ok?’ in her This Morning statement (Image: ITV/REX)

She added: “It’s equally hard to see the toll it’s taken on their own mental health. I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal for the health and wellbeing of everyone.

“I hope that as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that the show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.

“And from the heart, can I just say thank you for all your kind messages and thank you for being here this morning. Myself, Josie, Dermot, Alison, Craig and every single person that works on this show will continue to work hard every day.”

Back in 2014, Amanda stepped in to cover for Holly on This Morning during her maternity leave.

In 2018, it was reported the BGT favourite was set to be standing in for Holly once again, but sources claimed Phillip requested to front the show with Rochelle Humes instead because he found her easier to “manage” on air.

ITV said in response to the reports, which sparked rumours of a feud between Amanda and Phil: “Final decisions are made by producers, not presenters.”

Fans also recently speculated that Amanda had celebrated Phillip’s resignation from This Morning by posting a bicep emoji to Instagram shortly after the news was announced.

• Flight attendant baggage hacks to beat luggage rules
• Amanda Holden appears to go topless as she sings The Little Mermaid ‘underwater’
• Amanda Holden flashes underwear as BGT star almost spills out of sheer dress
• Amanda Holden has the last laugh as skimpy BGT dress is compared to ‘lamp shade’
• Amanda Holden turns heads in high-vis jacket after just 2 hours sleep

State pensioners with arthritis could be eligible for benefit worth up to £5,300 a year (Image: GETTY)

Attendance Allowance is a benefit distributed by the Department of Work and Pensions ( DWP ) to people of state pension age (currently 66) or over but the benefit is significantly underclaimed.

The eligibility criteria to receive the benefit are broad and many common health conditions can qualify a person for the support.

One of the most claimed-for conditions is arthritis , and according to the NHS, it’s thought to affect around 10 million people in the UK.

Arthritis is a medical condition that causes pain and inflammation in joints. The condition can affect members of all age groups, however, it’s most common in people aged 40 and over, and thousands of state pensioners are living with it without knowing they could claim financial support.

Currently, the benefit can be worth up to £441 a month at its highest rate, equating to a sizeable £5,291 a year.

READ MORE: Millions could be eligible for up to £1,350 in cost of living support

People of state pension age or over can claim Attendance Allowance (Image: EXPRESS)

It’s also worth noting that those who claim and are successful will also be entitled to the disability cost of living payment of £150 coming later this year.

Who is eligible to claim Attendance Allowance?

A person must be or over the state pension age (currently 66) and have been in Great Britain (England, Scotland, or Wales) for the last two years to claim.

They must also be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands and can’t be subject to immigration control.

A person must also have a type of disability or illness which means support or supervision is required to help with personal care.

This can include anything from sight or hearing impairments and learning difficulties to mobility issues or mental health issues such as dementia or psychosis.

Don’t miss… Women face £57,000 pension shortfall – but you could boost pot [EXPLAINED] Universal Credit misconceptions explained as payment rules change [LATEST] Over 500,000 Universal Credit claimants hit by sanctions [INSIGHT]

People may also be eligible if they have difficulties with smaller, personal tasks, experience pain or need physical help.

Britons don’t need a diagnosis for their condition to apply, but help must have been needed for the past six months unless they have less than 12 months to live.

However, it should be noted, people won’t be able to claim Attendance Allowance if they already receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), or the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Attendance Allowance rates 2023/24

Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates and depends on just how much help is required, However, the money doesn’t need to be spent on care. Instead, it can be put towards other essentials like household bills.

There are two rates of Attendance Allowance offered, the lower rate and the higher rate.

The lower rate applies to people who need help during the day or at night and currently amounts to £68.10 per week.

The higher rate applies to those who need help during both the day and at night or have a terminal illness. This amounts to £101.75 per week.

Attendance Allowance isn’t a means-tested benefit, meaning current savings or income won’t affect the claim, nor will it impact other benefits received.

However, people could get extra Pension Credit , Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if they qualify for Attendance Allowance. People can check this with the helpline or office dealing with the benefit.

To claim, people need to fill out a form clearly outlining the help they do need, as well as the help they don’t. A form can be retrieved by either calling the helpline on 0800 731 0122 or downloading one from the Government website .

• State pension calculator tool shows if you can retire early
• Bank offers market-leading 5.2 percent interest on monthly savings
• Best buy savings account smashes rivals by paying 5.35% a year until 2028
• Brilliant pensions tax break saves thousands but millions don’t know it exists
• Top 10 easy access accounts paying interest rates up to 4%