The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) pays Attendance Allowance to state pensioners with certain health conditions, with weekly rates reaching £114.60 in 2026/27. The benefit is not means-tested and is tax-free, meaning savings and earnings do not affect eligibility.
Who can claim Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is available to anyone who has reached DWP State Pension age and has a physical disability, mental disability, or health condition severe enough that they need help caring for themselves or supervision to keep themselves or somebody else safe. Normally, the person must have needed that support for at least six months. Different rules apply to people nearing the end of life, who may be able to claim more quickly at the higher rate.
Claimants do not need to be receiving all the help they require. Eligibility is based on the help or supervision they reasonably need, not simply the assistance they currently receive. That means somebody who is struggling alone should not assume they are ineligible because no professional carer visits their home.
Payment rates for 2026/27
For 2026/27, Attendance Allowance is paid at two weekly rates. The lower rate is £76.70 for somebody who needs frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night. The higher rate is £114.60 for somebody who needs help or supervision throughout both the day and night, or who qualifies under the special rules for people nearing the end of life.
Attendance Allowance does not include a separate mobility component. However, the payment does not have to be handed to a professional carer. It can be used towards the additional costs created by the person’s condition.
Seven most common qualifying conditions
DWP data shows the seven most common conditions among Attendance Allowance claimants. Arthritis leads with 512,300 claimants, followed by dementia with 176,393. Heart disease accounts for 130,043 claimants, while respiratory conditions cover 109,714. Disease of the muscles, bones or joints affects 91,009 claimants, cerebrovascular disease 74,361, and back pain 79,646.
These figures reflect the current claimant base. Eligibility remains determined by the level of care or supervision needed, not by the specific diagnosis. Pensioners who believe they qualify can contact the DWP to apply, and those nearing the end of life may receive the higher rate more quickly under special rules.
