Attendance Allowance for Older People

You can claim Attendance Allowance if you are aged 67 or over and have a physical disability, mental disability, or illness that means you need help with personal care (such as washing, dressing, eating, or using the toilet), supervision to avoid danger to yourself, or someone to watch over you at night.

Attendance Allowance does not depend on whether someone is actually providing care for you — you just need to show that you need it. So even if you are managing by yourself or relying on family informally, you may still qualify.

You must have had the care need for at least six months before you can claim (the qualifying period). The only exception is if you are terminally ill, in which case you can claim immediately under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI), receiving the higher rate automatically.

People under 67 who need care should instead look at Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or, for those who began claiming before a certain date, Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Attendance Allowance is paid at one of two weekly rates:

• Lower rate: £76.70 per week — if you need frequent help or supervision during the day, or at night.
• Higher rate: £114.60 per week — if you need help or supervision both during the day and at night, or if you are terminally ill.

The key distinction is whether your need is daytime, night-time, or both. "Night" broadly means the period when most people sleep. You do not need a carer to actually get up in the night — you just need to show that your condition requires supervision or help during those hours.

You can apply for Attendance Allowance by completing the AA1 form, available from the DWP or by calling the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122. The form is lengthy and asks detailed questions about your care needs on a typical day. It is important to describe your worst day, not your best.

Many people are turned down at first application or receive the lower rate when they should receive the higher rate. The form asks you to describe difficulties in detail — vague answers lead to lower awards. Consider getting help from Citizens Advice, Age UK, or a welfare rights adviser before submitting the form.

Attendance Allowance is paid weekly and is backdated to the date of claim, so apply as soon as you think you may be eligible. If your condition worsens, you can request a supersession to move from the lower to the higher rate.

Receiving Attendance Allowance can trigger or increase entitlement to other means-tested benefits:

• Pension Credit: AA may increase the amount of Pension Credit you receive because it adds a "disability addition" to the Pension Credit calculation.
• Council Tax Reduction: Many councils disregard AA when assessing income for Council Tax Reduction, meaning you keep more of your AA.
• Housing Benefit: AA income may be partially or fully disregarded in Housing Benefit calculations.
• Carer's Allowance: If a carer is looking after you and you receive AA, they may be entitled to claim Carer's Allowance (£86.45/week).

Always tell the benefits offices about a new or changed AA award so they can reassess your entitlements.

If you are terminally ill and your death can reasonably be expected within six months, you can claim Attendance Allowance under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI). The rules were extended in 2023 to remove the previous six-month life expectancy test — you now qualify if you have a terminal diagnosis with no realistic prospect of cure, regardless of how long you are expected to live. Under SRTI, you automatically receive the higher rate of Attendance Allowance and the claim is fast-tracked, usually decided within days.

To claim under SRTI, a healthcare professional (your GP, consultant, or specialist nurse) completes a DS1500 form (now called SR1) confirming the diagnosis. You do not need to be aware of the terminal prognosis for the form to be completed on your behalf.

Attendance Allowance awards are usually made for a fixed period (often two or three years for long-term stable conditions, or indefinitely in some cases) and then reviewed. You should receive a renewal letter before the award expires. If your condition has changed significantly between reviews, do not wait for the renewal — contact the DWP to request a supersession. If your needs have increased, a supersession can upgrade you from the lower to the higher rate and is backdated to the date of the change request.

If your condition temporarily improves — for example, after surgery or during a period of remission — you are still entitled to continue receiving AA for as long as the original award remains in force. AA is based on care needs, not on the severity of a diagnosis at any given moment, and awards should not be automatically reduced because of a temporary improvement unless a formal review is triggered.