Attendance Allowance is paid to people over State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision to stay safe because of illness or disability. In 2026/27 the lower rate is £76.70 a week, for help needed during the day or during the night, and the higher rate £114.60, for help needed both day and night or for someone who is terminally ill. It is tax free, is not affected by income or savings, and claiming it can raise Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction through the severe disability addition. It is the most under-claimed benefit for older people, largely because it needs no diagnosis and no existing carer, only a need for help.
The rates
| Rate | Who it is for | Weekly | Every four weeks | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Help or supervision needed frequently during the day, or during the night | £76.70 | £306.80 | £3,988 |
| Higher | Help or supervision needed both day and night, or a terminal illness | £114.60 | £458.40 | £5,959 |
The rates are the same as the standard and enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment, which is the equivalent benefit for people under State Pension age; our PIP rates guide covers that side. Attendance Allowance has no mobility component, so difficulty walking counts only where it creates a need for help or supervision. In Scotland the equivalent is Pension Age Disability Payment, paid at the same rates by Social Security Scotland.
Who qualifies
You must have reached State Pension age, have needed help with personal care or supervision for at least six months because of a physical or mental condition, and be habitually resident in the UK. Help means assistance with washing, dressing, eating, taking medication, getting in and out of bed, using the toilet, communicating or staying safe, whether or not anyone actually provides it: the test is the help you reasonably need. Someone who lives alone and struggles through the day unaided can qualify as fully as someone whose spouse helps them. People who are terminally ill, with a life expectancy of twelve months or less, claim under the special rules and receive the higher rate straight away without the six-month wait.
The allowance is not affected by income, savings, other benefits or National Insurance record, and it does not reduce the State Pension. It normally stops after 28 days in hospital, or in a care home where the local council pays the fees; people paying their own care home fees continue to receive it. The Attendance Allowance checker runs through the rate you are likely to qualify for.
What it unlocks
The larger effect of a successful claim is often on other benefits. Receiving Attendance Allowance at either rate makes a pensioner eligible for the severe disability addition of £86.05 a week in Pension Credit, provided they live alone or only with others who also receive a qualifying disability benefit and nobody is paid Carer’s Allowance for looking after them.
| Single pensioner on the full new State Pension of £241.30 a week | Before claiming | After claiming higher rate |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance Allowance | £0 | £114.60 |
| Pension Credit minimum guarantee | £238.00 | £324.05 |
| Pension Credit paid | £0 | £82.75 |
| Weekly income | £241.30 | £438.65 |
Pension Credit then passports to full Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, the Winter Fuel Payment, free NHS dental treatment and, from 75, a free television licence. Someone who provides 35 hours a week of care for a person receiving Attendance Allowance can claim Carer’s Allowance of £86.45 a week, although that claim removes the severe disability addition, so the two should be weighed together. The Pension Credit calculator shows the effect of the addition for your income, and our Carer’s Allowance guide explains the carer’s side.
Claiming
The claim form, AA1, is long and asks in detail about the help needed with each daily activity, how often, and what happens without it. The most common reason for refusal is understatement: answering as on a good day, or describing what you manage rather than what you struggle with. Answer for a typical day, include night-time needs, falls and the time tasks take, and attach supporting evidence such as a GP letter or care plan where available. If the form is requested by phone and returned within six weeks, payment is backdated to the date of the call. Awards are usually for a fixed period or indefinite, with no routine reassessment, and refusals can be challenged through mandatory reconsideration and appeal.
Common questions
How much is Attendance Allowance in 2026/27? £76.70 a week at the lower rate and £114.60 at the higher rate, paid every four weeks: £306.80 or £458.40 per payment.
Is Attendance Allowance means tested? No. Income, savings and other benefits are ignored, and it is tax free. It can increase Pension Credit and housing help.
Do I need a diagnosis or a carer? No. The test is whether you reasonably need help with personal care or supervision, not whether someone provides it or what the condition is called.
How long must I have needed help? Six months before the claim, unless you are terminally ill, when the higher rate is paid immediately under the special rules.
Can I get it in a care home? Yes if you pay your own fees. It stops after 28 days where the council funds the placement, and after 28 days in hospital.
What is the difference between the two rates? The lower rate is for help needed during the day or during the night; the higher rate is for help needed both day and night, or for a terminal illness.
Information, not financial advice. Rates are the published 2026/27 figures on gov.uk: Attendance Allowance; the Pension Credit example is from the site’s calculator for a single person with no other income. Entitlement depends on an assessment of care needs, so seek help from Age UK, Citizens Advice or a welfare rights adviser with the form.