Guide · Updated October 2026

Attendance Allowance: the money many families never claim

Attendance Allowance is £114.60 a week at the higher rate and £76.70 a week at the lower rate for 2026/27. It isn't means-tested, isn't taxed, and can be spent on anything, including help around the house.

Who can get it

• They have reached State Pension age.
• An illness or disability means they need help looking after themselves, or need someone to keep an eye on them for their own or others' safety.
• They have needed that help for at least six months. People who may be nearing the end of life can claim straight away, at the higher rate.
• They live in England or Wales. In Scotland, claim Pension Age Disability Payment instead (same rates). Northern Ireland has its own Attendance Allowance service.

It is based on the help they need, not the help they currently get. Plenty of people who manage alone, with difficulty, qualify.

Higher or lower rate

The lower rate is for people who need help or supervision during the day or the night. The higher rate is for people who need help during the day and the night, or who may be nearing the end of life.

What it can pay for

Anything. There are no rules on spending it. A family using it for practical help could cover roughly 3 to 4 hours a week of gardening, cleaning or odd jobs at typical 2026 rates of £25 to £32 an hour, or £5,959 a year at the higher rate.

What else it can unlock

Getting Attendance Allowance can mean more Pension Credit or Housing Benefit, through the severe disability additional amount (£86.05 a week in 2026/27 for someone living alone), and it can help with Council Tax Reduction. A family carer may also be able to claim Carer's Allowance. Check with a benefits adviser, because the rules depend on who else lives in the home.

How to claim

1. Ring the Attendance Allowance helpline or download the form from GOV.UK. If you ring for a form, the claim can be backdated to the date of your call as long as the form comes back within six weeks.
2. Describe a typical bad day, not a good one. Include the things they struggle with but manage anyway, and the help they need but don't have.
3. Ask their GP or anyone who supports them to add a short statement if you can.
4. DWP writes within about three weeks to say when to expect a decision.

Age UK and Citizens Advice will help fill in the form for free.

Questions

How much is Attendance Allowance in 2026/27?

From April 2026 Attendance Allowance is £114.60 a week at the higher rate and £76.70 a week at the lower rate. In 2025/26 it was £110.40 and £73.90.

Is Attendance Allowance means-tested?

No. Savings and income do not affect it, and it is not taxable. It is based on the help someone needs, not the help they get, so they do not need to have a carer.

Can Attendance Allowance be spent on a cleaner or gardener?

Yes. There are no rules on how it is spent. Many people use it for practical help around the house, equipment, taxis or bills.

Who can claim Attendance Allowance?

People over State Pension age in England and Wales whose illness or disability means they need help looking after themselves, or someone to keep an eye on them for safety, and have needed it for at least six months. People nearing the end of life can claim straight away at the higher rate. In Scotland the equivalent is Pension Age Disability Payment.