Attendance allowance

July 22, 2023
Attendance allowance is available to all aged over state pension age that needs daily help with personal care (washing, dressing, or eating) due to an illness or disability.  
To qualify you don’t actually have to be paying for help with care and it is up to you what you spend the money on.
Attendance allowance

How much is the attendance allowance?

The money you receive isn’t taxable.  There are two different weekly rates, and the amount you get depends on how much help you need.   From April 2023 to April 2024, the rates are:
  • Lower rate £68.10 for those who need help during the day or at night
  • Higher rate £101.75 for those who need help during the day and at night, or who are terminally ill

Eligibility criteria for claiming Attendance Allowance

You can claim Attendance Allowance if you meet all the following criteria:

  • You’re over State Pension age (those younger, may be eligible for Personal Independence Payment instead).
  • You have any type of disability or physical or mental illness, including sight or hearing impairments and conditions such as dementia.
  • You could benefit from help with personal care, such as getting washed or dressed, or supervision to keep you safe during the day or night.
  • You have needed help for at least 6 months. But if you’re terminally ill you can make a claim straight away.

Attendance allowance is not means-tested and claiming also won’t affect any other benefits you receive.

How to apply for Attendance Allowance

Here is the link to download the form – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/attendance-allowance-claim-formOr you can call 0800 731 0122 for the Attendance Allowance helpline.

You will need the following information to complete the form:

  • National Insurance number
  • GP name and surgery’s address
  • Medication details
  • Details of anyone else you have seen in the last year about your illness or disability.
  • If you have one, your hospital record number.
  • Dates of hospital stays with contact details.
When completing the form you will need to detail how your daily life is affected.  Focus on how your daily life is affected by your health rather than the illness or disability itself.  Be sure to detail all the little daily tasks that you struggle with:
  • Washing: do you need help getting in and out of the bath or shower, washing your hair, or shaving?
  • Going to the toilet: do you need help to go to the toilet? Do you suffer from incontinence or need help changing the bed sheets?
  • Getting dressed or undressed
  • Mealtimes: do you need help with eating, drinking, preparing meals or doing other things in the kitchen?
  • Medical treatment: do need help with medication?
  • Getting around indoors:  do you have any aids such as a hoist; commode; raised toilet seat; bath rails, shower seat; walking frame; special cutlery etc.
  • Communicating: do you need help to read post? Can you hear the doorbell?
  • Supervision: are you in danger of falling? Do you need someone to watch over you?

Don’t underestimate your needs on the form, detail the help needed on bad days, as well as on good ones.  Describe how other people help you – or could help you.  At the end of the form there is an option for someone who knows your needs to include a statement – doing this will likely help your claim.  You must sign the form yourself unless someone holds a power of attorney for you.

Expect your claim to take around 40 days to process and they should backdate any payment due.  If you are terminally ill, there are special rules to allow your claim to be dealt with more quickly provided you ask for a form DS1500 from your GP or Consultant.

To leaver more about the benefits and entitlements that you may be eligible to receive, we suggest the

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