How to Claim Attendance Allowance: The Form, the Steps and What Happens Next

If you have already worked out that Attendance Allowance is worth claiming, the next question is the practical one: how do you actually apply, and what happens after you send it in. You can claim in two ways, online or by post on the form called AA1, and the way you claim affects the date your money starts from, so it is worth choosing deliberately.

This guide takes you through what to have ready, the two routes, the timings and what to do if the decision is not what you expected. It is a companion to our guide on who qualifies for Attendance Allowance, so if you are still deciding whether to claim, start there.

Attendance Allowance is not means tested, so there are no bank statements to gather and no savings to declare. What the form is really asking for is a picture of the help you need across a normal day and night, which is why the single most useful thing you can do before you start is keep a short diary for a week.

What to have ready before you start

Whichever route you choose, you will need a few details to hand:

• your National Insurance number
• your address and contact details
• details of the disability or health conditions you need help with
• the details of your GP surgery or medical centre
• if you are staying in a care home, hospital or hospice, the details of that

The condition details are the heart of it. The form asks how your illness or disability affects you, and the strongest claims describe an ordinary day honestly, including the help you need but do not always get. Help you need still counts even if no one is currently giving it, and difficulties at night count as much as difficulties in the day. A week of rough notes turns a blank form into an accurate one.

Route one: apply online

You can now apply for Attendance Allowance online through the DWP service, and for most people this is the simpler route. Its practical advantage is the start date: if you apply online, your claim starts on the day you make it, so there is no dependence on the post. You can save your progress and come back to it, which suits a form that is better done over a couple of sittings than in one go.

Route two: apply by post on form AA1

If you would rather work on paper, you can claim by post. You can either print the Attendance Allowance claim form, form AA1, from GOV.UK, or call the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122, open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and ask for a form to be sent to you. There is a British Sign Language video relay service and a Relay UK option for anyone who cannot use the phone in the usual way.

The start date works differently on paper, and this is the point families most often miss. If you print and post the form yourself, your claim starts on the date the DWP receives it. But if you call the helpline to ask for the form, your claim starts on the date of your call, provided you return the completed form within six weeks. So a single phone call before you begin can protect an earlier start date and a few extra weeks of payment. The completed form goes to a Freepost address, with no stamp and no postcode needed, and the pack it comes in tells you exactly how to fill it in.

What happens after you apply

Once your claim is in, you will get a text or a letter within three weeks telling you when to expect a decision. When the decision is made, a letter explains the outcome and, if you have been awarded Attendance Allowance, when your first payment will arrive. There is usually no face to face assessment, which surprises people who are used to other benefits. The decision is normally made on the form and, sometimes, on information from your GP.

If you disagree with the decision

Not every claim succeeds first time, and a refusal is not the end of the road. If you disagree with the decision, you can ask for what is called a mandatory reconsideration, which is a request for the DWP to look again. Many decisions change at this stage, particularly where the first form understated the day to day difficulty, so it is worth reading the decision letter carefully and getting help before you accept a no.

Where to get help in Hertfordshire

You do not have to fill the form in alone, and the people who help with it every week make a real difference to how accurately it reads. Age UK Hertfordshire and Citizens Advice both run benefits advice across the county and can help you complete an Attendance Allowance claim. HertsHelp, on 0300 123 4044, is the county's general first point of contact and can put you in touch with the nearest adviser.

Once Attendance Allowance is in place, it often opens the door to other help, including Carer's Allowance for the family member doing the caring and a council tax reduction, so it is worth thinking of the claim as the first step rather than the only one.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an Attendance Allowance claim take?

You should hear within three weeks when to expect a decision, and the decision letter follows once it is made. Applying online, or calling the helpline first if you claim on paper, protects the earliest possible start date.

Is there a medical assessment for Attendance Allowance?

Usually not. The decision is normally made from the information on your form, sometimes with details from your GP. This is why describing an ordinary day fully, including the help you need but do not receive, matters so much.

Can I backdate an Attendance Allowance claim?

Attendance Allowance is not usually backdated before the date your claim starts, which is why the start date matters. Claim online, or ring the helpline for the form and return it within six weeks, so your claim starts as early as possible.

Do I need to send bank statements or proof of savings?

No. Attendance Allowance is not means tested, so your savings and income do not affect it and you do not need to send financial evidence.

What if my needs get worse after I claim?

You can report a change in circumstances, and if your needs have increased you may move from the lower rate to the higher rate. Keep a note of what has changed, as the same honest, day to day description helps here too.