Attendance Allowance: A Practical Guide for 2026/27

Attendance Allowance is one of the most useful benefits for older people who need help at home, and one of the most often missed. It is not means-tested, it is not taxable, and it can make a real difference to what a family can afford in care. This guide explains the 2026/27 rates, who can claim, how to apply and how to give the claim form the best chance.

A quick note before we start: benefit rules and rates change. This is general information, not financial or legal advice, and we are not financial or legal advisers. Check the details on gov.uk or get free advice for your situation from Age UK or Citizens Advice.

What Attendance Allowance is

Attendance Allowance is a weekly payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for people over State Pension age who need help or supervision because of a disability or health condition. It is meant to help with the extra costs of needing care.

Three things surprise many families:

It is not means-tested. Your parent’s savings and income do not affect it.
It is not taxable.
They do not have to be receiving care already. It is based on the help they need, not the help they get.

Rates for 2026/27

There are two rates:

Rate	Weekly amount	Usually for
Lower rate	£76.70	help or supervision during the day or during the night
Higher rate	£114.60	help or supervision during the day and the night, or for someone near the end of life

The money is paid every four weeks into a bank account, and your parent can spend it however they like.

Who qualifies

To claim, your parent usually needs to:

be State Pension age or over
have a physical or mental disability or health condition (including dementia, sight or hearing loss, or a mental health condition)
need help with personal care or supervision to stay safe
have needed that help for at least 6 months

The rules are different for someone who is nearing the end of their life. In that case they can claim straight away and get the higher rate.

Note the words “help or supervision”. Your parent does not have to be unable to do things. If they can wash, but only slowly and with a risk of falling, or if they forget to eat unless someone prompts them, that counts. If you are trying to work out how much help they really need, our guide on how many hours of care your parent actually needs is a good place to start.

How to claim

There are two ways to apply:

Online, through the gov.uk claim page.
By post, using the paper claim form. You can download it from gov.uk or ask for one by calling the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). Send the completed form to Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance. You do not need a stamp or postcode.

You can fill in the form on your parent’s behalf, but they need to agree to the claim (or you need the legal authority to act for them, such as a power of attorney).

Tips for filling in the form

The form is long, and it is where most claims are won or lost. A few things help a great deal.

Describe the worst days, not the best

Older people tend to describe themselves on a good day. Many will tell an assessor “I manage fine” because they do not want to be a burden. Write about a typical bad day, and say how often bad days happen. If your parent’s needs vary, explain how.

Be specific

“Needs help getting dressed” is weaker than “Cannot do up buttons or put on socks because of arthritis in both hands. Takes 40 minutes to dress and is exhausted afterwards. Has fallen twice while putting on trousers.”

Useful details include:

how long a task takes, and whether it gets done at all
falls and near misses, with dates if you have them
what happens at night: getting up to the toilet, confusion, wandering
medication that gets forgotten or taken twice
meals that are skipped
anything that is unsafe without someone there

Include supporting evidence

A short letter from a GP, consultant, occupational therapist or family carer who sees the day-to-day picture can help. Keep copies of everything you send.

Ask for help with the form

Age UK and Citizens Advice can help you complete the form for free. It is worth taking up, especially if your parent has dementia or several conditions.

Using Attendance Allowance towards care at home

Because it can be spent on anything, many families use Attendance Allowance to pay for some help at home. For example, imagine a mother who lives alone and struggles most in the mornings:

	Lower rate	Higher rate
Weekly Attendance Allowance	£76.70	£114.60
Hours it covers at £20 an hour	about 3.8 hours	about 5.7 hours

At the lower rate, that is roughly a two-hour visit and a shorter one each week. At the higher rate, it is roughly two or three visits of two hours. It will not usually cover all the care someone needs, but it takes a real bite out of the cost. For a fuller picture, see our guide to how much home care costs in London and our prices page.

Attendance Allowance can also open the door to other help. If your parent gets it, a family member who cares for them 35 hours a week or more may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance (£86.45 a week in 2026/27). It can also increase some other benefits your parent already gets, which is another reason to get advice on the whole picture. Our article on paying for care at home in England covers the other funding routes.

What happens after you claim

The DWP may contact your parent’s GP or ask for a medical assessment, although many claims are decided on the form alone. If the claim is turned down or the rate seems too low, your parent can ask for the decision to be looked at again (called a mandatory reconsideration). Many decisions change at that stage, so it is worth asking, ideally with help from an adviser.

If your parent’s needs increase later, for example after a fall or a hospital stay, they can ask for their award to be reviewed.

How Viola can help

Viola is an introductory agency in London. We introduce families to vetted, self-employed carers at one published rate of £20 an hour, the same on weekdays, weekends and bank holidays, with travel included. A suitable carer can usually be introduced within 48 hours, and you can start small, with just the hours Attendance Allowance covers, and build up if needed. If you would like to talk it through, tell us what your parent needs and we will help you work out a sensible starting point.

Frequently asked questions

Does Attendance Allowance depend on savings or income? No. It is not means-tested, so your parent’s savings and income do not affect it.

How much is Attendance Allowance in 2026/27? £76.70 a week at the lower rate and £114.60 a week at the higher rate.

Does my parent need to be receiving care already to claim? No. It is based on the help they need, not the help they currently get.

Can I fill in the form for my parent? Yes, but they need to agree to the claim, or you need legal authority to act for them.

Can Attendance Allowance be used to pay a carer? Yes. It can be spent however your parent chooses, including on help at home.