What Attendance Allowance is
Attendance Allowance (AA) is a non-means-tested, tax-free benefit administered by DWP for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision because of a physical or mental disability. It is paid in addition to State Pension and almost every other income. Unlike PIP, there is no mobility component — AA covers care needs only.
Who qualifies
You must meet ALL of these:
- Be State Pension age or older (66 in 2026; rising to 67 from 2026–28).
- Have a physical or mental disability (including sight loss, dementia, COPD, heart failure, frailty, arthritis, mental illness, learning disability).
- Have needed help with personal care, or supervision for safety, for at least the last 6 months. The needs do not have to currently be met — what matters is that you need the help.
- Pass the residence and presence tests: ordinarily resident in Great Britain and present 2 of the last 3 years.
If you are under State Pension age, you should claim PIP instead. Once you reach State Pension age on PIP, your award continues — you do not switch.
The two rates
- Lower rate: £73.90/week. You need help frequently throughout the day OR repeated supervision throughout the night.
- Higher rate: £110.40/week. You need help frequently throughout the day AND repeated supervision throughout the night, OR you are terminally ill under Special Rules.
"Frequent" means several times — not just morning and night. "Supervision" includes risk of falls, leaving cooker on, wandering, self-harm, choking, or any safety risk that needs someone available even if they do not actively intervene every time.
How it interacts with other benefits
AA is ignored as income for every means-tested benefit. In practice it usually increases what you receive, because being awarded AA can also entitle you to:
- Severe Disability Premium on Pension Credit / Housing Benefit / Council Tax Reduction, currently £82.90/week, if you live alone (or are treated as living alone) and no-one is paid Carer's Allowance for caring for you.
- Carer Premium / Carer Element for someone caring for you 35+ hours/week.
- Council Tax disability reduction in many cases — see our Council Tax guide.
- Blue Badge on the discretionary route (AA does not automatically qualify).
Always claim Pension Credit alongside AA — many AA awards trigger a Pension Credit award worth several thousand pounds a year that the pensioner did not previously qualify for.
Special Rules for End of Life
If a clinician (GP, consultant or specialist nurse) believes you may have 12 months or less to live, the Special Rules for End of Life apply:
- You automatically get higher-rate AA.
- The 6-month qualifying period is waived.
- The clinician completes form SR1 instead of you completing AA1.
- The decision is fast-tracked, usually within days.
You do not have to know about the prognosis for the claim to be made on your behalf. The 12-month threshold replaced the old 6-month rule in 2022.
Care home rules
If you move into a care home, AA is suspended after 28 days if the local authority is funding any part of your care (even £1). If you are self-funding the full fee, AA continues. If you alternate between home and a care home (respite), keep careful records — only the days in publicly-funded care count toward the 28 days.
Filling in form AA1
The AA1 is a long form (40+ pages) and is the single most important document in your claim. There is no medical assessment for the vast majority of decisions — the case is decided on what you write. Spend time on it. Use specific examples, describe a typical bad day, quote frequency, duration and what would happen without help. Always attach supporting medical evidence — DWP rarely requests records.
Local Age UK branches and Citizens Advice will help you complete AA1 for free. The average award gain from a well-completed form versus a poor one is the difference between higher rate AA and refusal.
If refused
Request Mandatory Reconsideration within 1 month of the decision. Add anything missing — new medical evidence, more detail on safety supervision, more detail on night-time needs. If MR fails, appeal to the First-tier Tribunal within 1 month using form SSCS1. The same process as PIP tribunal appeals applies; success rates at AA tribunal exceed 60%.
Frequently asked questions
›How much is Attendance Allowance?
£73.90/week at the lower rate (frequent day OR night care) or £110.40/week at the higher rate (day AND night, or terminal illness) — 2025/26 figures. Not taxable, not means-tested.
›Who qualifies?
You must be State Pension age (66+), have needed help with personal care or supervision for at least 6 months because of a physical or mental disability, and pass the residence and presence tests. Under-65s claim PIP instead.
›Does Attendance Allowance affect other benefits?
No — it is ignored as income for means-tested benefits. In fact it often increases them: Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction may go up because you qualify for a Severe Disability Premium when you receive AA.
›What is the Special Rules for End of Life?
If a clinician believes you have 12 months or less to live, you get higher-rate AA automatically and the 6-month qualifying period is waived. Your clinician completes form SR1 instead of you completing AA1.
›Can I get AA if I live in a care home?
Only if you pay all your own care home fees from private funds. If the local authority funds any of your care, AA stops after 28 days.
›How long does the decision take?
Typically 6–10 weeks for routine claims, often longer at peak. Special Rules claims are decided within days. The award is backdated to the date of claim, so getting your AA1 in quickly matters.