What is it?

If you are 65 or over and need personal care due to an illness or disability you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance. The sort of things you might need help with include getting in/out of bed, washing, dressing, eating and drinking, moving around the house, getting to and using the toilet, taking medicines or seeing and communicating.

You do not actually have to be getting help in order to qualify - if it is reasonably required you may be able to get the benefit.

Can I get it?

If you have an illness or disability that affects your daily life then it is worth finding out whether you can claim Attendance Allowance. Each claim is assessed individually to see whether you meet the eligibility rules and which rate is payable.

Attendance Allowance is not means-tested so it does not matter what other income or savings you have. You normally will have needed help for six months before benefit can be claimed, but there are special rules if you have a terminal illness. A claim can be made on your behalf if you cannot manage your own affairs.

You must be aged 65 or over to claim Attendance Allowance - if you are aged under 65 then you get Disability Living Allowance.

How much do I get?

The amount you get depends on how much your disability affects you.There are two rates of Attendance Allowance.
Higher Rate = £77.45 per week
Lower Rate = £51.85 per week

How do I claim?

Attendance Allowance is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions who run a confidential telephone service to help people with disabilities and carers. The Benefit Enquiry Line is 0800 88 22 00 (calls are free). The textphone number for deaf and hard-of-hearing people 0800 24 33 55. Alternatively you can claim online using the Department for Work and Pension's eclaims service.

The application form is very long and asks for a lot of personal information. You should get a friend, relative or adviser to help you complete it if possible. Many advice agencies can make an appointment for you to visit them to do this. There may be some sections of the form that you are more comfortable filling in on your own, but a professional adviser is used to dealing with sensitive information and can help you complete the form correctly. For organisations that can help with claiming disability benefits please visit the sites on our more advice page.