Why you are on this page
Most people reading this arrived from one of our PIP pages after answering one question: are you over State Pension age. GOV.UK is clear that "you also usually need to be under State Pension age to make a new PIP claim", and that "if you're over State Pension age, you cannot usually make a new claim for PIP", with Attendance Allowance offered instead (gov.uk/pip/eligibility, checked 8 September 2026).
There is one exception and it matters. GOV.UK also says: "You can make a new claim for PIP if you got PIP or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in the last 12 months." If that applies to you, a new PIP claim may still be open to you, and our PIP pages are the right place to be.
We do not ask for your date of birth, and we never print an age threshold, because State Pension age depends on when you were born and is changing. You can check your own State Pension age on GOV.UK.
What Attendance Allowance is
GOV.UK describes Attendance Allowance as help with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you. It is paid weekly, it is not means tested, and GOV.UK states that what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get. It does not cover mobility needs (gov.uk/attendance-allowance, checked 8 September 2026).
Who it is for
Per the GOV.UK eligibility page (checked 8 September 2026), you can get Attendance Allowance if you have reached State Pension age and:
- you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition;
- your disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself, or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else's safety;
- you have needed that help for at least 6 months.
There are also residence and presence conditions, and GOV.UK notes different rules if you are nearing the end of life. If you live in Scotland, you apply for Pension Age Disability Payment instead.
You do not need a carer to claim
This is the most common misconception about Attendance Allowance, and GOV.UK answers it in one line: "You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim." The question is what help or supervision you need, not whether anyone is currently providing it. If you do have a carer, GOV.UK notes they may be able to claim Carer's Allowance separately.
How it differs from PIP
- Different age rule. A new PIP claim usually has to be made before State Pension age. Attendance Allowance is for people State Pension age or older.
- Different form and route. Attendance Allowance has its own claim route and its own form. Nothing you have written for a PIP claim transfers automatically.
- Different test. PIP is scored against 12 activities and their descriptors. Attendance Allowance looks at the help and supervision you need, by day and by night.
- No mobility part. GOV.UK states Attendance Allowance does not cover mobility needs.
The two rates
GOV.UK says Attendance Allowance is paid at 2 different rates, and which one you get depends on the level of help you need. We deliberately do not print the amounts here: a rate that goes out of date becomes a wrong statement, and this page is meant to be reliable. The current figures are on the GOV.UK rates page.
GOV.UK also notes you could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get Attendance Allowance, so it is worth checking those at the same time.
How to claim
The claim routes, the form and the helpline number are all on the GOV.UK claim page. If you would like a longer walkthrough of the form itself, we keep a free guide at filling in form AA1. Nothing on either page is for sale.
Free help
Free, independent help with an Attendance Allowance claim is available from Citizens Advice, Age UK and local welfare rights services. They can go through the form with you, and in some areas do so in your own home.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need someone caring for me to claim Attendance Allowance?
No. GOV.UK states plainly: "You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim." The test is the help or supervision you need, not whether anyone is currently giving it. Checked 8 September 2026.
Why was I sent here from a PIP page?
Because you told us you are over State Pension age and have not had PIP or Adult Disability Payment in the last 12 months. GOV.UK says that if you are over State Pension age you cannot usually make a new claim for PIP, and that you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead. We would rather say so than take your money for the wrong thing. Checked 8 September 2026.
Is Attendance Allowance the same form as PIP?
No. It is a different benefit with its own claim route and its own form, and it is decided on the help and supervision you need rather than on the PIP activities and descriptors.
Is there an exception that lets me claim PIP after State Pension age?
Yes, one. GOV.UK says: "You can make a new claim for PIP if you got PIP or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in the last 12 months." If that applies to you, a new PIP claim may still be open to you. Checked 8 September 2026.
How much is it?
There are two weekly rates, and which one applies depends on the level of help you need. We do not print the amounts here, because a figure that goes out of date becomes a wrong statement. The current rates are on GOV.UK.
Does it affect my other benefits?
GOV.UK says Attendance Allowance is not means tested, and that you could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get it. Check with the office dealing with each benefit.
What if I live in Scotland?
GOV.UK says you apply for Pension Age Disability Payment instead of Attendance Allowance, through mygov.scot.
Do you sell an Attendance Allowance pack?
No. We have no Attendance Allowance product. This page is free information and points you to GOV.UK and to free advice services.
General information, not benefits advice. Finally Seen is not affiliated with DWP and does not offer an Attendance Allowance product or predict any award. All GOV.UK quotations on this page were checked on 8 September 2026. Check GOV.UK for the current position before you claim.