Attendance Allowance is not means-tested
Your income, savings, and pension do not affect whether you qualify for Attendance Allowance or how much you receive. It is awarded entirely on how your disability or illness affects your daily life and whether you need help with personal care or supervision. Many people rule themselves out because they assume their income or savings disqualify them. They do not.
What Attendance Allowance is
Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit paid by the DWP to people who have reached State Pension age and have a disability, illness, or mental health condition that means they need help or supervision with personal care. State Pension age is currently 66 — verify the current age at GOV.UK, as it may change.
Unlike Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance does not have a mobility component. It covers care and supervision needs only.
The benefit is not based on whether you actually have a carer. You may live alone with no care arrangement at all and still qualify if you have a need for care. The assessment is about the need, not whether that need is currently being met.
The two rates
Attendance Allowance is paid at one of two rates:
Lower rate — for people who need help with personal care either during the day or at night, but not both.
Higher rate — for people who need help during both day and night, or who are terminally ill.
The current amounts for each rate are at GOV.UK. They are uprated each April and should not be taken from any source that does not confirm when the figure was accurate.
Who can claim
To claim Attendance Allowance you must:
- Have reached State Pension age (currently 66 — verify at GOV.UK)
- Have a physical or mental disability or illness
- Have had that condition for at least 6 months — or be terminally ill (no time limit applies in terminal illness cases)
- Be habitually resident in the UK
There is no upper age limit. If you are 80 or 90 and have care needs you have never claimed for, you can still apply.
What Attendance Allowance does not affect — and what it unlocks
Receiving Attendance Allowance does not reduce your State Pension, Universal Credit, or any other benefit.
In several cases it does the opposite. Receiving Attendance Allowance can unlock additional support:
- Pension Credit — if you receive Pension Credit, getting Attendance Allowance may increase the amount you receive through the severe disability addition
- Council tax reduction — it can affect eligibility or the amount of reduction from your local council
- Carer's Allowance — if someone provides you with at least 35 hours of care per week, your Attendance Allowance can make them eligible for Carer's Allowance
This is worth knowing before you decide not to bother claiming. The payment itself is tax-free. It may also trigger support for the person caring for you that neither of you are currently receiving.
How to claim
Attendance Allowance is claimed by post, not online. You complete form AA1 and send it to the DWP.
You can download the form from GOV.UK, or call the Attendance Allowance helpline and ask for a form to be sent to you. The helpline number is on GOV.UK.
The form asks you to describe in detail how your condition affects your daily life: what you can and cannot do, how long things take, whether you need help or supervision, and what happens on bad days. Be specific. Cover your worst days and your typical days. If completing the form is difficult because of your condition, ask Citizens Advice or an Age UK adviser to help you.
Allow 6 to 8 weeks for a decision, though this varies. Verify the current processing time at GOV.UK when you apply.
How Attendance Allowance differs from PIP
This is the most common source of confusion.
Age: PIP is for people aged 16 to State Pension age. Attendance Allowance is for people who have reached State Pension age.
Components: PIP has a daily living component and a mobility component. Attendance Allowance covers care and supervision needs only. There is no mobility component in Attendance Allowance.
Transitional rule: If you were receiving PIP when you reached State Pension age, you continue to receive PIP. You do not automatically switch to Attendance Allowance at State Pension age, and you should not cancel PIP in the belief that Attendance Allowance will replace it. They are separate benefits that cannot both be received at the same time — but if you are already on PIP, you stay on PIP.
If you are under State Pension age and have care or mobility needs related to a disability, PIP is the relevant benefit, not Attendance Allowance.
We'll keep you updated on Attendance Allowance rates and eligibility changes.
Common questions about Attendance Allowance
Can I claim Attendance Allowance if I live alone?▾
Yes. The benefit is based on your need for care, not on whether anyone is actually providing care. If you live alone and have a condition that means you need help with daily tasks or supervision for safety reasons, you may qualify even if you are managing without a carer at the moment. The assessment looks at what help you need, not what help you are receiving.
Does it matter if I don't have a carer?▾
No. Attendance Allowance is not conditional on having a carer. You can qualify for the higher rate even if no one is helping you. The rates are based on whether your care needs fall into the day-only or day-and-night categories, not on whether someone is currently meeting those needs.
Will Attendance Allowance affect my pension?▾
No. It does not reduce your State Pension or any occupational or private pension you receive. It is paid in addition to any pension and is tax-free. For Pension Credit recipients, receiving Attendance Allowance may actually increase the amount of Pension Credit, not reduce it.
How do I claim?▾
You claim by completing form AA1 and posting it to the DWP. The form is available to download from GOV.UK, or you can call the Attendance Allowance helpline to request one by post. Decisions typically take 6 to 8 weeks. Citizens Advice and Age UK can help you complete the form if needed.
What if I'm refused?▾
If your claim is refused or you receive a lower rate than you expected, you can request a mandatory reconsideration — asking the DWP to review the decision. If you are still unhappy after that, you can appeal to an independent tribunal. Citizens Advice can help you at both stages. The tribunal stage in particular has a reasonable success rate for well-prepared claimants.
Can I get Attendance Allowance if I have dementia?▾
Yes. Dementia is a qualifying condition. The assessment considers how the condition affects your ability to manage daily life and whether you need supervision for safety reasons. Many people with dementia qualify for the higher rate because they need supervision both during the day and at night. Get help completing the form from a GP, dementia nurse, or Age UK adviser who understands how to describe care needs effectively.
How does Attendance Allowance differ from PIP?▾
PIP is for people aged 16 to State Pension age. Attendance Allowance is for people who have reached State Pension age. PIP covers daily living and mobility; Attendance Allowance covers care needs only, with no mobility component. If you were receiving PIP when you reached State Pension age, you remain on PIP and do not switch. If you reach State Pension age without a prior PIP claim and have care needs, Attendance Allowance is the right benefit to claim.
Can my carer also claim Carer's Allowance?▾
If someone provides you with at least 35 hours of care per week, your Attendance Allowance can qualify them for Carer's Allowance. They must earn below a threshold (verify the current figure at GOV.UK) after allowable deductions. Receiving Attendance Allowance is a prerequisite for your carer's Carer's Allowance claim. Your carer should check the eligibility criteria at GOV.UK or get advice from Citizens Advice.
Related guides
- →BenefitsOverview of the UK benefits system: means-tested, non-means-tested, and where to get help.
- →PIPPersonal Independence Payment — for adults under State Pension age with disability or health conditions.
- →Winter Fuel PaymentAnnual payment for older households with heating costs — eligibility changed in 2024/25.
- →Council taxHow council tax is calculated and who can apply for a reduction — Attendance Allowance can help here.
- →TV licence exemptionsAttendance Allowance can increase Pension Credit entitlement, which unlocks the free TV licence for over-75s.