Attendance Allowance is a benefit for adults who have reached pension age, have a physical or mental disability and need help with personal care or supervision to remain safe.
You do not actually have to be getting any help, as long as you can show that you need it. You can get attendance allowance if you live alone; you do not need to have a carer.
Attendance Allowance isn't based on your national insurance contributions and isn't means tested, which means it doesn't matter how much income or savings you have.
To claim Attendance Allowance, you must have needed help with your care needs for at least 6 months. (If you're terminally ill, you can make a claim straight away.)
Am I eligible for Attendance Allowance?
- You must have reached pension age (if you are not yet pension age, you should claim Personal Independence Payment
- You must satisfy the disability test
- You must have needed help with your care needs for at least 6 months
- You must not be subject to immigration control and have passed the residence and presence tests.
How much Attendance Allowance will I get?
Attendance Allowance has two rates, lower rate and higher rate. The lower rate is £68.10 a week and the higher rate is £101.75. The rate you are awarded is decided by the disability test.
How do I claim?
You can phone and ask for an Attendance Allowance claim form to be sent to you in the post.
Before you call, you'll need:
- your contact details, for example telephone number
- your date of birth
- your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
- your bank or building society account number and sort code
- your doctor or health worker's name, address and telephone number
- dates and addresses for any time you've spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
Download the Attendance Allowance form
What happens to my award if I go in to hospital?
It is your responsibility to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to tell them that you are in hospital.
Your award of Attendance Allowance should stop after you've been in hospital for 28 days.
Payment starts again from the day you leave hospital; again you need to notify the DWP.
What happens if I go into a Care Home?
Normally, you can not be paid Attendance Allowance if you live in a care home.
You can be paid Attendance Allowance for any day you are not in the care home, from the day you leave until the day you return. For example if you spend a weekend at a relative's home; leaving the care home on Friday and returning to the care home on Sunday, you would be paid Attendance Allowance for these 3 days.