What Is Attendance Allowance?

Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people who have reached State Pension age and need help with personal care or supervision because of a health condition or disability.

You do not have to have somebody actually caring for you to claim.

Attendance Allowance is based on the help you need, not simply the help you currently receive.

It is also not means-tested, so your income and savings do not determine whether you can receive it.

Who might be able to claim Attendance Allowance?

You may be able to claim if:

• you have reached State Pension age
• you have a physical or mental disability or health condition
• you need help caring for yourself or supervision to keep you or somebody else safe
• you have normally needed that help for at least six months

There are different rules for people nearing the end of life.

There are also residence and immigration conditions.

If you live in Scotland, you normally apply for Pension Age Disability Payment instead of Attendance Allowance.

Do I need to have a carer?

No.

This is an important point.

Attendance Allowance looks at the help or supervision you need.

You might:

• live alone
• manage without formal care
• receive help from your partner
• rely on family or friends
• struggle through activities without asking for help

You can still potentially qualify.

Do not assume that because nobody is officially your carer, Attendance Allowance cannot apply.

What kinds of difficulties can Attendance Allowance consider?

The benefit is concerned with personal support needs arising from your disability or health condition.

For example, you might need help or supervision with things such as:

• getting dressed
• washing or bathing
• using the toilet
• eating
• getting in or out of bed
• taking medication or managing treatment
• communicating your needs
• staying safe

Mental health, cognitive and sensory difficulties can also be relevant.

The important question is how your condition affects the help or supervision you reasonably need.

Does Attendance Allowance cover dementia?

Attendance Allowance can potentially be relevant to somebody living with dementia.

Again, the diagnosis itself does not automatically establish entitlement.

Think about the support the person needs.

For example, do they need:

• prompting with personal care?
• supervision for safety?
• help managing medication?
• support during the night?
• somebody nearby because of confusion or other difficulties?

The same principle applies to other health conditions.

Focus on the person’s actual support needs.

What if I manage on my own?

Managing does not necessarily mean you do not need help.

Older people sometimes gradually adapt to increasing difficulties.

You may:

• take much longer to do things
• avoid certain activities
• rely on equipment
• change your routine
• accept a level of difficulty as normal
• rely on somebody without thinking of them as a carer

When considering Attendance Allowance, think about the help that would reasonably make an activity safer or manageable, rather than simply asking whether you somehow get through the day.

Does Attendance Allowance include mobility?

Attendance Allowance does not have a mobility component.

This is an important difference from PIP.

Difficulty walking or getting around outside does not, by itself, create an Attendance Allowance mobility payment.

However, a health condition affecting mobility may also create personal care or supervision needs that are relevant to Attendance Allowance.

Is Attendance Allowance means-tested?

No.

Your income does not determine whether you qualify.

Your savings do not determine whether you qualify either.

You can therefore potentially receive Attendance Allowance even if you:

• have savings
• receive a pension
• own your home
• have other income

Do not rule yourself out simply because you believe you have too much money to claim a benefit.

How much is Attendance Allowance?

Attendance Allowance has two weekly rates.

For 2026/27 these are:

Lower rate, £76.70 a week

This generally applies where you need frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night.

Higher rate, £114.60 a week

This generally applies where you need help or supervision throughout both the day and night, or where the special rules for people nearing the end of life apply.

Benefit rates can change, so check the current amounts.

Do I have to spend Attendance Allowance on a carer?

No.

Attendance Allowance is not normally restricted to paying for a particular care service.

It can help with the additional costs associated with living with a disability or health condition.

Receiving Attendance Allowance does not mean you have to employ a carer.

Could Attendance Allowance affect my other benefits?

Receiving Attendance Allowance can sometimes increase entitlement to other means-tested support.

For example, it may potentially affect entitlement to:

• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Reduction

This means somebody who starts receiving Attendance Allowance may benefit from completing another full benefits check.

Do not assume the Attendance Allowance payment is the only financial difference it can make.

Could somebody caring for me get help?

Possibly.

An Attendance Allowance award can sometimes mean that somebody providing substantial care for you can explore carers’ benefits.

However, carers’ benefits and means-tested benefits can interact.

Before somebody claims a carers’ benefit, it can be sensible to check whether it could affect other benefits within the household.

There is a separate MH360 guide about financial help for carers.

What if I live in a care home?

The funding arrangements matter.

You cannot usually receive Attendance Allowance while living in a care home if your care is being paid for by your local authority.

However, you may still be able to receive it if you are paying the full cost of the care home yourself.

Care funding can be complicated, particularly where NHS Continuing Healthcare, local-authority funding or self-funding is involved.

The MH360 care section explains these different funding routes separately.

What if I’m in hospital?

Hospital stays can affect Attendance Allowance.

If you receive Attendance Allowance and go into hospital, you should report the change.

The effect can depend on matters including how long you are there and how your care is being funded.

Do not assume the benefit will simply continue unchanged.

What if I’m nearing the end of life?

There are special rules for end of life.

If a medical professional says you might have 12 months or less to live, Attendance Allowance may be available more quickly and at the higher rate.

The normal six-month qualifying period does not apply in the same way under these special rules.

A healthcare professional can provide medical evidence to support the claim.

How do I claim Attendance Allowance?

Attendance Allowance can currently be claimed online or by post.

You will need information about matters such as:

• your health condition or disability
• the help and supervision you need
• your GP or medical centre
• any care home, hospital or hospice where you are staying

If you request a paper claim form from the Attendance Allowance helpline and return it within the required period, the claim can start from the date you called for the form.

That can make the date you start the claim important.

What should I think about before completing the claim?

Try not to focus only on your diagnosis.

Think about your everyday life.

Ask:

What do I find difficult?

What help would make it safer or easier?

Does somebody already help me without either of us thinking of it as care?

Do I need somebody to supervise me?

Do I need help during the night?

Have I stopped doing things because they have become too difficult?

What happens if nobody helps me?

Writing down examples before completing the claim can help you describe your needs more clearly.

Will I have an assessment?

Not everybody needs one.

An assessment may be arranged if it is unclear from the information available how your health condition or disability affects you.

Do not assume that applying automatically means attending the same type of assessment process used for every other disability benefit.

Should I check whether I’m entitled?

If you have reached State Pension age and need help or supervision because of a long-term health condition or disability, Attendance Allowance may be worth checking.

Do not rule yourself out because:

“I have savings.”

“I own my house.”

“Nobody is officially my carer.”

“I still manage most things somehow.”

Those facts do not, by themselves, mean you cannot qualify.

MH360 Entitled can also help people explore benefits and financial support they may be missing.

7.14: What Financial Support Is Available if I Have a Disability or Long-Term Health Condition?

7.15: What Benefits and Financial Help Are Available for Carers?

7.28: Who Can Claim Attendance Allowance?

7.29: Does Having Savings Affect Attendance Allowance?

7.30: What Financial Help Might Be Available in Later Life?

13.3: Caring for Someone With Dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s

13.16: Who Pays for Care at Home or in a Care Home?

13.19: NHS Continuing Healthcare, NHS-Funded Nursing Care and Council-Funded Care, What’s the Difference?

Important information

This guide provides general information and is not intended to provide benefits, financial, care, legal, medical or other professional advice. Attendance Allowance rules, rates and eligibility criteria can change, and individual circumstances can be different. Check current information from official sources or seek advice from an appropriately qualified benefits adviser before making important decisions.