Attendance Allowance

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1. Overview

Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.

There바카라 사이트™s a different way to claim if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð nearing the end of life (for example, because you have a life-limiting illness).

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg), and Easy Read format.

It바카라 사이트™s paid at 2 different rates and how much you get depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability or health condition.

You could get £73.90 or £110.40 a week to help with personal support if both of the following apply:

  • you have a physical disability, a mental disability, or a health condition
  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð State Pension age or older

It does not cover mobility needs.

You could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get Attendance Allowance.

You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim.

If you do have a carer, they could get Carer바카라 사이트™s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.

If you live in Scotland

You will need to apply for instead of Attendance Allowance.

If you currently get Attendance Allowance

You do not need to apply for Pension Age Disability Payment - you바카라 사이트™ll automatically be moved to Pension Age Disability Payment from spring 2025.

When the move begins, you바카라 사이트™ll get letters from the Department for Work and Pensions and Social Security Scotland.

.

If you move from Scotland to England or Wales

If you get Pension Age Disability Payment, you must:

Your Pension Age Disability Payment will stop 13 weeks after you move. Apply for Attendance Allowance as soon as you move to England or Wales. If you do not, your payments could be affected.

2. What you'll get

Attendance Allowance is paid weekly at 2 different rates - the one you get depends on the level of help you need.

Attendance Allowance is not means-tested - what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.

Attendance Allowance rates

Rate Level of help you need
Lower rate - £73.90 Frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night
Higher rate - £110.40 Help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð nearing the end of life

If your circumstances change, you could get a different rate. You must report a change of circumstances.

You could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get Attendance Allowance - check with the helpline or office dealing with your benefit.

If you get Constant Attendance Allowance at the same time, your Attendance Allowance will be reduced by the amount of Constant Attendance Allowance you get.

How ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð paid

All benefits are paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

3. Eligibility

You can get Attendance Allowance if you바카라 사이트™ve reached State Pension age and the following apply:

  • you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition
  • your disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else바카라 사이트™s safety
  • you have needed that help for at least 6 months

There are different eligibility rules if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life-limiting illness). You might be able to get Attendance Allowance more quickly and at a higher rate.

You must also:

  • be in Great Britain when you claim - there are some exceptions, such as members and family members of the armed forces
  • have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð a refugee or have humanitarian protection status)
  • be in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
  • not be subject to (unless ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð a sponsored immigrant)
  • not get Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP),Ìý or

If you live in Scotland

You will need to apply for instead of Attendance Allowance.

If you live in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

You might still be able to get Attendance Allowance if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð a UK national and you live in or move to the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

Read guidance to find out if you can get benefits in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð in a care home

You cannot usually get Attendance Allowance if you live in a care home and your care is paid for by your local authority. You can still claim Attendance Allowance if you pay for all your care home costs yourself.

If you need an assessment

You바카라 사이트™ll only need to attend an assessment to check your eligibility if it바카라 사이트™s unclear how your disability or health condition affects you.

If you do need an assessment you바카라 사이트™ll get a letter saying why and where you must go. During the assessment, a medical professional will need to examine you.

4. How to claim

You can apply for Attendance Allowance online or by post.

There바카라 사이트™s a different way to claim:

To apply, you바카라 사이트™ll need:

  • your National Insurance number
  • your address and contact details
  • details of the disability or health condition that you need extra help for
  • details of your GP surgery or medical centre
  • details of your care home, hospital or hospice if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð currently staying in one

Apply online

The new service will accept a limited number of applications each week.

You cannot apply online if you:

  • are an appointee
  • have power of attorney

If you live in Scotland

If you live in Scotland, you need to instead of Attendance Allowance.

Apply by post

You can either:

Attendance Allowance helpline
Telephone: 0800 731 0122
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0122
British Sign Language (BSL) if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð on a computer - find out how to
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

Where to send the form

Send the completed form to:

Freepost
DWP Attendance Allowance

Do not write anything except the freepost address on the envelope. You do not need a postcode or a stamp. 

The form comes with notes telling you how to fill it.

After you apply

After you send your claim, you바카라 사이트™ll get a text or letter within 3 weeks that explains when you can expect a decision.

Once a decision is made, you바카라 사이트™ll get a letter explaining the outcome.

When you바카라 사이트™ll be paid

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð awarded Attendance Allowance, the decision letter will tell you when you바카라 사이트™ll get your first payment.

If you apply online, your claim will start on the date you make your claim.

If you print and post the form, your claim will start on the date the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) receives it.

If you call the helpline to get a form, your claim will start on the date of your call (if you return the form within 6 weeks).

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Complaints

You can complain to DWP if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð unhappy with the service you바카라 사이트™ve received.

5. Report a change in circumstances

If your circumstances change, the amount you get from Attendance Allowance may go up or down.

You must contact the Attendance Allowance helpline straight away if:

  • the level of help you need or your condition changes - you바카라 사이트™ll need to provide details like if the amount of times you need help each day has changed
  • you go into hospital or a care home - you바카라 사이트™ll need to provide the address, the dates you바카라 사이트™ve been there for, and how your stay is paid for
  • a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live (you could get Attendance Allowance at a higher rate under 바카라 사이트˜special rules for end of life바카라 사이트™)
  • you plan to leave the country for more than 4 weeks
  • you go into prison
  • you change your name, address or bank details
  • you want to stop receiving your benefit
  • your doctor바카라 사이트™s details change
  • your immigration status changes, if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð not a British citizen

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

Attendance Allowance helpline
Telephone: 0800 731 0122
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0122
British Sign Language (BSL) if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð on a computer - find out how to
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

If you바카라 사이트™ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

  • did not report a change straight away
  • gave wrong information
  • were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.

6. Claiming Attendance Allowance if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð nearing the end of life

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life-limiting illness) you might be able to get Attendance Allowance more quickly and at a higher rate.

This is sometimes called 바카라 사이트˜special rules for end of life바카라 사이트™.

You may also be able to get other benefits if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð nearing the end of life.

Eligibility

You바카라 사이트™re eligible if: 

  • you바카라 사이트™ve reached State Pension age
  • your doctor or medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live

It can be difficult to predict how long someone might live for. If a medical professional has not talked to you about this, you can still ask them to support your claim under the special rules for end of life.

What you바카라 사이트™ll get

You바카라 사이트™ll get the higher rate of £110.40 per week.

You could also get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

The letter about the money awarded will not mention 바카라 사이트˜special rules바카라 사이트™.

How to claim

You can claim for yourself or someone else can make a claim for you (they do not need your permission). 

You need to:

  • ask a medical professional for form SR1 - they바카라 사이트™ll either fill it in and give the form to you or send it directly to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
  • apply for Attendance Allowance online or by post

You will not need to go to a face-to-face assessment.

Apply online

To apply, you바카라 사이트™ll need:

  • your National Insurance number
  • your address and contact details
  • details of the disability or health condition that you need extra help for
  • details of your GP surgery or medical centre
  • details of your care home, hospital or hospice if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð currently staying in one

Apply by post

You can either:ÌýÌý

Attendance Allowance helpline
Telephone: 0800 731 0122
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0122
British Sign Language (BSL) if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð on a computer - find out how to
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

Send the completed claim form to:

Freepost
DWP Attendance Allowance

After you apply

After you send your claim, you바카라 사이트™ll be contacted by phone or sent a letter within 3 weeks to explain when you can expect a decision.

Once a decision is made, you바카라 사이트™ll get a letter explaining the outcome.

When you바카라 사이트™ll be paid

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð awarded Attendance Allowance, the decision letter will tell you when you바카라 사이트™ll get your first payment.

If you apply online, your claim will start on the date you make your claim.

If you print and post the form, your claim will start on the date DWP receives it.

If you call the helpline to get a form, your claim will start on the date of your call (if you return the form within 6 weeks).

If you already get Attendance Allowance

Contact the Attendance Allowance helpline straight away if you already get Attendance Allowance and a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live.