Attendance Allowance

You can claim Attendance Allowance if you:

• Have reached State Pension age (66, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028)
• Have a physical or mental disability or illness (including dementia, arthritis, Parkinson's, heart conditions, and mental health conditions)
• Need help with personal care (washing, dressing, eating, using the toilet) or supervision (to avoid substantial danger to yourself or others)
• Have needed this help for at least 6 months (the qualifying period)
• Are habitually resident in Great Britain and satisfy the residence and presence conditions

You do not need a carer providing the help. The test is about your need for care, not whether you actually receive it — so you may qualify even if you are managing alone or relying informally on family. You also do not need a specific diagnosis: entitlement is based on the help you need, not the label a doctor has given your condition.

People below State Pension age who need care should claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead, or, for existing claimants who began before PIP replaced it, Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Terminal illness: If you have a terminal illness and are not expected to live more than 12 months, you will automatically receive the higher rate under the Special Rules for End of Life, and payments can start almost immediately without the 6-month qualifying period. A healthcare professional — your GP, consultant, or specialist nurse — completes an SR1 form (the replacement for the old DS1500) confirming the diagnosis. You do not need to have been told your own prognosis for the form to be completed on your behalf, and these claims are usually decided within days.

Attendance Allowance is paid at one of two weekly rates:

• Lower rate — £76.70/week: You need frequent help during the day, or prolonged or repeated help during the night. For example, you need help preparing meals, washing, or getting in and out of bed during the night.
• Higher rate — £114.60/week: You need frequent help during both the day and night, or you need someone to watch over you during the day and night, or you are terminally ill.

The key distinction is whether your need is daytime, night-time, or both. "Night" broadly means the period when most of the household is asleep. Nobody has to actually be getting up to help you — you need only show that your condition requires help or supervision during those hours.

Payments are made every four weeks directly into your bank or building society account. They are tax-free, do not count as income for tax purposes, and do not count as income for other means-tested benefits.

Impact on other benefits: Receiving Attendance Allowance can trigger higher rates of means-tested support:

• Pension Credit — AA can trigger the severe disability addition, an extra payment on top of your Pension Credit worth a substantial sum each year.
• Council Tax Reduction — many councils disregard AA entirely when assessing income, so you keep the full award.
• Housing Benefit — AA is partially or fully disregarded in the calculation and may unlock a disability premium.
• Carer's Allowance — if someone cares for you for at least 35 hours a week, your AA award may entitle them to Carer's Allowance (£86.45/week).

Always tell the benefit offices about a new or changed AA award so they can reassess your entitlement — many people gain several pounds a week they would otherwise never have claimed.

Most people apply using the AA1 paper claim form, which can be obtained by:

• Calling the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122
• Downloading it from GOV.UK (although the DWP encourages phone or postal requests)
• Asking Citizens Advice, Age UK, or your GP surgery to order one for you

The form asks about your conditions, how they affect you, and what help or supervision you need day and night. Key tips for completing it:

• Describe your worst days — the days when your condition affects you most.
• Include mental health conditions as well as physical ones — anxiety, depression, and dementia all count.
• Include the time things take you and whether you need prompting, supervision, or physical help.
• Ask your GP or specialist for a supporting letter — this is not required but can strengthen your claim.
• Consider getting free help from Age UK or Citizens Advice to complete the form.

Once received, the DWP aims to make a decision within 40 working days. Most decisions are made on the papers without a face-to-face assessment, though this can happen. Awards are backdated to the date of claim, so register your claim as soon as you think you may be eligible rather than waiting until the form is perfect.

Many people are turned down at first application, or are given the lower rate when the higher rate is warranted. Vague answers produce low awards: quantify how long tasks take you, how often help is needed, and what happens on a bad night.

Attendance Allowance awards are usually made for a fixed period — often two or three years for a long-term stable condition, occasionally indefinitely — and then reviewed. You should receive a renewal letter before the award expires.

If your condition has worsened, do not wait for the scheduled review. Ask the DWP for a supersession: a supersession can move you from the lower to the higher rate and is backdated to the date you asked for the change, not the date the decision is made.

If your condition improves significantly, you must report this to the DWP as your award may be affected. A temporary improvement — recovery after surgery, or a period of remission — does not end your entitlement: AA is based on your care needs over time, not on how you are on any single day, and an award should not be reduced without a formal review.

Challenging a decision: If your claim is refused or you receive a lower rate than you believe you should, request a Mandatory Reconsideration within one month of the decision. If the reconsideration is unsuccessful, you can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber). Success rates at tribunal are relatively high, so take advice before giving up — Age UK and Citizens Advice provide free help with appeals.