Attendance Allowance: A Clear Guide for Families
The benefit most older people never claim
Attendance Allowance is a benefit of £76.70 or £114.60 a week for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision because of a health condition or disability. It is not means-tested, it is tax free, and your savings and income do not affect it. Many families we support use it to help pay for care at home.
In our experience, many families have never heard of it, or assume their parent will not qualify because they own their home or have savings. Neither matters. This guide sets out who can claim, how much it pays and how to apply, based on the current GOV.UK guidance.
Attendance Allowance at a Glance
The essentials:
- Two weekly rates: £76.70 (help needed during the day or at night) and £114.60 (help needed day and night, or if someone is nearing the end of life)
- For people over State Pension age with a physical or mental health condition or disability
- Not means-tested: savings, income and owning your home make no difference
- Tax free, and it does not reduce other benefits. It can actually increase Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction
- You normally need to have needed help for at least six months. Different, faster rules apply for people nearing the end of life
- Nobody needs to be caring for you already. The benefit is based on the help you need, not the help you get
Figures on this page were checked on 13 August 2026 against GOV.UK’s Attendance Allowance guidance. Rates can change, usually each April, and GOV.UK always has the most up to date figures.
Who Can Claim, and How Much It Pays
Who can claim Attendance Allowance?
You can claim if you have reached State Pension age and have a physical disability, a mental disability, or a health condition severe enough that you need help caring for yourself, or someone to supervise you for safety. You must normally have needed that help for at least six months.
It does not matter whether anyone actually provides that help at the moment. A person managing alone, with difficulty, is exactly who the benefit exists for. You cannot claim it alongside Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.
How much is it?
The lower rate of £76.70 a week is for people who need frequent help or supervision during the day, or at night. The higher rate of £114.60 a week is for people who need help both day and night, or who are nearing the end of life. Over a year, the higher rate is worth almost £6,000, which makes a real difference to what support a family can put in place.
You claim through GOV.UK, where you can find the Attendance Allowance claim form and guidance: gov.uk/attendance-allowance. The form asks about the help you need with personal care, moving around, and staying safe.
The advice we give families is simple: describe the difficult days, not the good ones. Be specific about what help is needed, how often, and what would go wrong without it. Understating the situation is the most common reason a genuine claim is refused.
If the person is nearing the end of life, special rules mean the claim is handled more quickly and usually at the higher rate. Your GP or nurse can provide the medical evidence needed. Charities such as Age UK can also help you complete the form, free of charge.
Attendance Allowance is yours to spend as you choose. There are no rules requiring it to be spent on care, but most families use it exactly that way: it is often what makes regular help at home affordable.
To put it in practical terms, the higher rate of £114.60 a week covers a meaningful part of regular care visits. Our visits start from 30 minutes, from £34, so the benefit can fund several visits a week: a morning routine call, help with medication, or a companionship visit that gives a family carer a break. Regulated home care is VAT exempt, so there is nothing to add on top.
Attendance Allowance also works alongside other funding. If the person you care for gets it, and you provide regular care yourself, you may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance too. And in Hertfordshire, free independent advice on money and care is available from HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044.
Our care funding guide covers the wider picture, including council funding and NHS continuing healthcare.
“Mum has savings, so she will not qualify”
Savings make no difference. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so income, savings and property are not part of the decision. Owning a home does not matter either.
“She already manages, so there is no point”
The question is not whether someone copes, but what help they need to do so safely. Struggling to wash, dress, remember medication or move around safely is what the benefit is for, even where a determined person manages alone.
“We will sort it out when things get worse”
Because you normally need to show six months of needing help, the right time to claim is earlier than most families think. A claim made today reflects help that has already been needed for months.
Common Questions About Attendance Allowance
Is Attendance Allowance means-tested?
No. Savings, income and property are not taken into account, and the benefit is tax free. It also does not reduce other benefits, and can increase Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.
What is the difference between the lower and higher rate?
The lower rate of £76.70 a week is for people who need help or supervision during the day, or at night. The higher rate of £114.60 a week is for people who need help both day and night, or who are nearing the end of life.
Can my parent claim if family already helps them?
Yes. Nobody needs to be caring for you in order to claim. The benefit is based on the help someone needs, not on who currently provides it, and the family member helping may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance separately.
How long does someone need to have needed help before claiming?
Normally at least six months. The exception is someone nearing the end of life, where special rules mean the claim is handled quickly, usually at the higher rate.
Does Attendance Allowance have to be spent on care?
No. It is yours to spend as you choose. In practice most families put it toward help at home, and it is often what makes regular care visits affordable.
How can Starling Homecare help once it is in place?
Care visits with us start from 30 minutes, from £34, with no hidden fees, and regulated home care is VAT exempt. We are happy to talk through what the benefit could realistically cover, and our care funding guide explains the wider funding picture.
How to Get Started
- Note down the help your family member needs, including on the difficult days
- Start the claim at gov.uk/attendance-allowance, or ask Age UK for free help with the form
- Speak with us about what support at home the benefit could fund. Call 01727 324 127