Attendance Allowance
A tax-free, non-means-tested benefit for people aged 65 and over who need help with personal care or supervision due to physical or mental disability.
Key Facts
- Lower rate: £72.65 per week — for those needing help during the day OR night
- Higher rate: £108.55 per week — for those needing help both day AND night
- Not means-tested — your savings and income do not affect eligibility
- Not taxable — you keep the full amount
- Does not reduce any other benefits — and can increase them
- You must have needed help for at least 6 months (unless terminally ill)
Who Can Claim?
Attendance Allowance is for people aged 65 or over who have a physical or mental disability and need help with personal care such as washing, dressing, eating, getting around the home, or supervision to keep safe. You do not need to have someone actually caring for you — it is about whether you need help, not whether you are currently receiving it.
You must have needed this help for at least 6 months before you can claim — though if you are terminally ill (expected to live less than 12 months), you can claim under special rules and receive the higher rate from day one.
What Counts as Needing Help?
The DWP looks at help with personal care — washing, bathing, dressing, eating, going to the toilet — as well as supervision to keep you safe. This includes things like: needing someone nearby when you cook in case you burn yourself, needing supervision at night because you get confused or fall, or needing prompting to take medication.
You do not have to be housebound or unable to go out. You do not need to prove you need help with everything — even help with one or two daily tasks can qualify. The key is whether your disability or health condition means you need this kind of support.
How to Apply
Call the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) and they will send you a form. You can also download the form from the DWP website or ask your local Age UK branch to help you fill it in.
The form (AA1) is long but take your time with it. Describe your worst days, not your best ones. Write in detail — 'I struggle to wash' is less useful than 'I cannot safely get into the bath without help and need someone present while I shower to prevent falls.' Ask someone who knows you well to help, and consider attaching a letter from your GP.
Getting Help With Your Claim
Many people receive far less than they are entitled to because they underestimate their needs on the form. Age UK offers a free benefit check and can help you fill in the form. Citizens Advice can also help. If your claim is refused or you receive a lower rate than expected, you have the right to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and then appeal to an independent tribunal — and many appeals succeed.