What is Attendance Allowance?

Attendance Allowance is a tax-free DWP benefit for people over State Pension age (66) who need help with personal care due to illness or disability. You can claim up to £5,959 per year (£114.60 per week at the higher rate). It's not means-tested, so your savings and income don't affect eligibility.

What are the Attendance Allowance rates?

There are two Attendance Allowance rates: Lower rate of £76.70 per week (£3,988/year) for frequent help during day OR supervision at night, and Higher rate of £114.60 per week (£5,959/year) for help or supervision throughout both day AND night. Rates are set by the DWP and reviewed annually.

What is the Attendance Allowance eligibility criteria?

To be eligible for Attendance Allowance you must: be State Pension age (66) or over, have needed help for at least 6 months (unless terminally ill), need help with personal care or supervision, and have been in the UK for at least 2 of the last 3 years. You cannot claim if receiving PIP or DLA.

How do I apply for Attendance Allowance?

You can apply for Attendance Allowance by completing form AA1 from the DWP, available online at GOV.UK or by phone on 0800 731 0122. Alternatively, our expert service helps you complete the Attendance Allowance application form correctly with a 95% success rate and no-win, no-fee guarantee.

Can I get help with my Attendance Allowance form?

Yes! Many people find the DWP Attendance Allowance form complex. Our service provides expert help completing your Attendance Allowance application form, ensuring all questions are answered correctly to maximize your chances of approval. We only charge £430 if your claim is successful.

What is the higher rate Attendance Allowance?

The higher rate Attendance Allowance is £114.60 per week (£5,959 per year). You qualify for the higher rate if you need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or if you're terminally ill (under Special Rules for Terminal Illness).

Can I claim Attendance Allowance and PIP together?

No, you cannot claim Attendance Allowance and PIP (Personal Independence Payment) at the same time. Attendance Allowance is for people over State Pension age, while PIP is for those under State Pension age. If you receive DLA, you may be able to switch to Attendance Allowance when you reach State Pension age.

Does Attendance Allowance affect Council Tax Reduction?

No, receiving Attendance Allowance does NOT affect your Council Tax Reduction. In fact, getting Attendance Allowance may help you qualify for additional Council Tax discounts, such as the Severe Mental Impairment exemption. Attendance Allowance is also disregarded when calculating Housing Benefit and Pension Credit.

Can I claim Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance?

Yes! You can claim both Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance. Getting Attendance Allowance may actually increase your Pension Credit payments through the Severe Disability Addition. This can add over £81 per week extra to your Pension Credit if you live alone and receive Attendance Allowance.

What is the DWP Attendance Allowance contact number?

The DWP Attendance Allowance helpline number is 0800 731 0122 (free from UK landlines and mobiles). Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. You can also contact our specialist service on 01702 655034 for expert help with your Attendance Allowance application.

Attendance Allowance Higher Rate: Your Claim Explained

2026-03-08 by Elder Care

Understand the criteria for the higher rate of Attendance Allowance. Elder Care helps you successfully claim up to £114.60/week. Free eligibility check today!

Understanding Attendance Allowance Higher Rate

Attendance Allowance is a valuable benefit designed to help with extra costs if you need someone to look after you due to a physical or mental disability. It's not means-tested, meaning your savings and income won't affect your eligibility, and it's tax-free. There are two rates: a lower rate and a higher rate. For many, securing the higher rate is crucial for managing significant care needs.

From April 2026, the higher rate of Attendance Allowance will be £114.60 per week, paid every four weeks (£458.40). Annually, this amounts to over £5,959.20 – a significant sum that can make a real difference to your quality of life.

What Decides the Higher Rate Award?

The key distinction between the lower and higher rates lies in the severity and consistency of your care needs. To qualify for the higher rate, you must satisfy the criteria for needing help both *day and night*, or you need constant supervision during the day to prevent harm to yourself or others, or you need dialysis at night.

Let's break down what 'day and night' care often means in practice:

Daytime Care: You need frequent or prolonged attention throughout the day in connection with your bodily functions, or continual supervision to avoid substantial danger to yourself or others.
Night-time Care: You need either prolonged or repeated attention during the night in connection with your bodily functions, or another person must be awake for a prolonged period or at frequent intervals to watch over you and prevent danger to yourself or others.

It's not just about *what* help you need, but *when* and *how often* you need it.

Real-Life Scenarios for Higher Rate Qualification

To illustrate the typical care needs that might lead to a higher rate award, consider these examples:

Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease: A person with moderate to advanced dementia might require supervision during the day to prevent wandering or accidental harm (e.g., leaving the hob on). At night, they might frequently wake up confused, needing help to safely use the toilet, get dressed, or be comforted back to sleep. This constant need for supervision and attention, both day and night, aligns with the higher rate criteria.

Severe Frailty and Frequent Falls: An individual who experiences multiple falls during the day, requiring assistance to get up and being at high risk of serious injury, would need supervision. At night, they might need help to get to the bathroom safely, or experience disorientation leading to falls out of bed, necessitating frequent checks and assistance.

Parkinson's Disease: Advanced Parkinson's can lead to significant mobility issues, tremors, and cognitive challenges. During the day, assistance might be needed for personal care tasks like dressing, eating, and managing medication. At night, stiffness or tremors could make turning in bed, using the toilet, or managing pain extremely difficult, requiring regular intervention from another person.

Incontinence Leading to Night-time Care: While incontinence alone might not guarantee the higher rate, if it's severe enough to require repeated changes of bedding, clothing, and assistance with personal hygiene multiple times during the night, in addition to significant daytime care needs, it can strongly support a higher rate claim.

Complex Medication Regimens: If a person requires help administering vital medication at specific times *throughout the day and night*, perhaps due to memory issues, dexterity problems, or complex medical equipment, this contributes to the ’attention in connection with bodily functions’ requirement.

Chronic Conditions with Acute Episodes: Conditions like severe arthritis might cause excruciating pain and immobility, requiring constant help with movement, dressing, and personal care during the day. If these symptoms worsen significantly at night, leading to disturbed sleep and a need for assistance with pain management or repositioning, the higher rate could be appropriate.

Why a Managed Service is Essential for the Higher Rate

The Attendance Allowance application form (AA1) is a comprehensive document that can be over 40 pages long. It asks for incredibly detailed information about your daily and nightly care needs. Crucially, merely having a severe condition does not automatically guarantee the higher rate; it's about how that condition impacts your ability to live independently and the level of help you need.

Many eligible individuals are awarded the lower rate or are rejected entirely, simply because the form was not completed with enough specific, compelling evidence to demonstrate the true extent of their needs, especially their night-time care requirements. Common pitfalls include:

Understating Needs: Older applicants often downplay the help they receive, seeing it as part of family support rather than a critical care need.
Lack of Specificity: General statements like "I need help with washing" are not enough. The DWP needs to understand *exactly* what help is needed, *when*, *how often*, and *what would happen if the help wasn't available*.
Ignoring Night-time Needs: Many claims fail to adequately describe the frequency and nature of night-time care, which is vital for the higher rate.
Insufficient Evidence: Simply listing medical diagnoses isn't enough; the form requires a vivid picture of the *impact* of those diagnoses on your daily and nightly life.

While the DWP has introduced an online application, it offers limited space to provide the detailed evidence required for more complex cases, particularly those aiming for the higher rate. It often leads to lower awards or rejections because it struggles to capture the nuanced, extensive care needs that justify the top payment.

At Elder Care, we specialise in navigating this complex application process. Our team understands precisely what information the DWP is looking for to award the higher rate. We work with you and your carers to gather and present all necessary evidence, ensuring your application paints a clear, compelling picture of your day and night care needs. We handle the entire process, removing the stress and increasing your chances of a successful higher rate award.

Take the Next Step with Elder Care

If you or a loved one needs significant care due to age or disability, don't miss out on the Attendance Allowance higher rate. Starting in April 2026, this could mean an extra £114.60 every week. Even if you've been turned down before, or think you might only qualify for the lower rate, it's worth reviewing your situation with our experts.

We operate on a No-Win-No-Fee basis. You only pay our success fee of £430 if your claim for Attendance Allowance is awarded. There’s no upfront cost or risk to you.

Find out how much you could receive by taking our free online Eligibility Check: /eligibility-check

Alternatively, you can call our friendly team today on 01702 938110 to discuss your situation and see how we can help.

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