Attendance Allowance
Extra help for people of State Pension age with a physical or mental disability who need personal care or supervision
Attendance Allowance
Although many people continue to enjoy good health well into later life, some people find they need help with daily living.
Attendance Allowance is a payment for people over State Pension age who have a physical or mental disability which means that they need help with personal care or supervision.
There is a misconception that Attendance Allowance needs to be spent on a carer – however, many older people choose to spend the money on other types of help in the home instead.
Read our Attendance Allowance guide
You can find more information about Attendance Allowance in our information guide.
Who is eligible?
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so you can apply regardless of how much income or savings you have.
If you do not already receive Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance.
You could be eligible if you:
- are aged 66 or over
- could benefit from help with personal care, such as getting washed or dressed, or supervision to keep you safe
- have any type of disability or illness, including sight or hearing impairments, dementia or mental health issues
- have needed help for at least six months(if you are terminally ill you can make a claim straight away)
You do not actually have to receive help from a carer, as Attendance Allowance is based on the help you need, not the help you actually receive.
You do not have to spend your Attendance Allowance on care – it is up to you how you use it.
How much is Attendance Allowance?
There are two weekly rates. The rate you receive depends on the help you need. The rates from April 2022 are:
- £61.85 if you need help throughout the day or at night.
- £92.40 if you need help throughout both the day and at night.
If you are awarded Attendance Allowance you may become entitled to other benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, or to an increase in these benefits.
How do I apply?
You can get a claim form by calling the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 (textphone: 0800 731 0317).
You can also download a claim form at www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/how-to-claim
It is is best to phone for a claim form as your payments will be backdated to when you phoned, provided you return the form within 6 weeks.
Filling in the form
Attendance Allowance is awarded based on your care needs, not because of the types of health problem you have.
Many applications are turned down because people do not clearly explain how their illnesses or disabilities affect their lives. Think about all the things you cannot do, or have trouble with, because of your condition. Do not leave things out, even if you feel you can just about manage.
Our Attendance Allowance guide contains hints and tips about how to explain your personal care and supervision needs on the form.
Free Attendance Allowance workshop
If you are completing an Attendance Allowance form for yourself or for someone else, our one-hour Attendance Allowance: Completing the form workshop can give you information, strategies and tips to make the process more simple and less daunting
Need more help to complete the form?
If you need more help with the Attendance Allowance form, contact the Age Scotland helpline on 0800 12 44 222 to speak with an adviser. We will try to find someone locally who can help you to complete it.
Care and Support
If you need help with care, you may be entitled to help from your local council too. See our guides Care and support at home: assessment and funding and Care and support at home: practical help for further information.
Care and Support options
You can find information about care and support on our dedicated information and advice pages
Dementia
If someone receives a dementia diagnosis they and their family will have questions, including about what support they will receive.
Age Scotland has produced a range of guides to help you, including a guide to dementia and benefits. You can read and download them here.
Looking for more information on benefits?
Read about other social security payments on our benefits guide page
Order copies of our publications
You can download our guides using the links on this page. To request copies, which will be posted out to you for free, you can use our online publications order form or call the Age Scotland Helpline (0800 12 44 222 Monday to Friday 9am-5pm).
The Age Scotland Helpline
Call our helpline on 0800 12 44 222 for free to speak to an adviser. Open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm.