Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision because of illness or disability. In 2026 it is paid at roughly £74 or £110 a week, tax-free, and is not affected by your savings, income or National Insurance record.
The short answer
- Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people over State Pension age who need care or supervision.
- It is not means-tested, savings, income and NI record are all ignored.
- It is paid at roughly £74 (lower) or £110 (higher) a week in 2026.
Attendance Allowance is one of the most valuable, and most under-claimed, benefits available to older people in the UK. It is a tax-free payment for those over State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision because of a physical or mental health condition. Crucially, it is not means-tested: your savings, income and National Insurance record are all irrelevant, so even comfortably-off people can and should claim it.
Hundreds of thousands of eligible people never apply, often because they assume their savings rule them out or that they are “not disabled enough”. In reality the test is about the help you need, not what you have. This is general information, not personal advice.
How much and who can claim
Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates in 2026. The lower rate of around £74 a week is for people who need help during the day or during the night; the higher rate of around £110 a week is for those who need help both day and night, or who are terminally ill. Over a year the higher rate is worth well over £5,700, money you can spend however you choose.
To qualify you must be over State Pension age, have needed help for at least six months (this is waived if you are terminally ill), and need help with things such as washing, dressing, eating, moving around indoors, taking medication, or supervision to stay safe. You do not need to actually be receiving that help, and there is no requirement to have a carer: it is the need that counts.
Why it is worth claiming
Not means-tested, claim it whatever your wealth
Attendance Allowance ignores your savings and income entirely. If you are self-funding your care, it is effectively free money towards the cost, and it can also unlock extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, so a successful claim is often worth more than the headline figure.
The benefit does more than provide cash. Because it is a “gateway” benefit, being awarded it can increase other means-tested support: it may qualify you for a higher rate of Pension Credit, additional Housing Benefit, or a Council Tax Reduction. For a self-funder meeting care costs at home, it is one of the simplest ways to ease the bill, see our guide to funding care at home for how it fits with other help.
It is also worth knowing how Attendance Allowance interacts with a care-home stay. If you pay your own care-home fees, you can continue to receive it. If the council or NHS funds your care, however, the payments usually stop, another reason it is especially valuable to self-funders.
There is also a related benefit worth knowing about. People who reach State Pension age claim Attendance Allowance; those under that age with similar needs generally claim Personal Independence Payment instead, which works differently and includes a mobility component. If you are already receiving Disability Living Allowance or PIP when you cross State Pension age, you usually keep it rather than switching. Getting the right benefit for your age and circumstances can be worth thousands of pounds a year, so it is well worth checking which applies to you.
How to claim
- 1
Get the claim form
Request form AA1 from the government or the Attendance Allowance helpline, or claim online where available.
- 2
Describe a bad day
Explain the help you need on your worst days, not your best, many claims fail because people understate their difficulties.
- 3
Give detail and examples
Say how often you need help, how long it takes, and any risks if help is not there. Supporting letters can strengthen a claim.
- 4
Get free help if needed
Charities such as Age UK and Citizens Advice help complete the form free of charge, which noticeably improves success rates.
The form is long, and the way you describe your needs makes a real difference. Focus on the help you require rather than the diagnosis, and do not play down your difficulties out of pride, assessors can only go on what you tell them. If a claim is refused, you can ask for the decision to be reconsidered and, if necessary, appeal.
Attendance Allowance is only one piece of the later-life funding picture, which also takes in the council means test, NHS Continuing Healthcare and, for the truly serious, how council care funding works. To see how the benefit fits with your wider finances, a specialist matched free through Vetted Wealth can help you plan care funding as a whole. This is information, not personal advice.
In summary
- Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people over State Pension age who need care or supervision.
- It is not means-tested, savings, income and NI record are all ignored.
- It is paid at roughly £74 (lower) or £110 (higher) a week in 2026.
- It can unlock extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.
- Self-funders keep it in a care home; describe your needs on a bad day when claiming.
- This is information, not personal advice.
Sources and further reading
- NHS Continuing Healthcare NHS
- Paying for your own care GOV.UK
- Paying for care Age UK
Read the full guide
For the complete picture, see our in-depth guide: Funding Care at Home.
Speak to a vetted care fee planning specialist
This is free information, not personal advice. When you’re ready, we’ll match you with an independently vetted, FCA-regulated specialist, free, and with no obligation.
