Attendance allowance help

Attendance Allowance (AA) is a benefit for people with care needs who are 65 or over, and do not get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

AA does not include a mobility component. However, if you are already getting a DLA or PIP mobility component when you become 65, you can carry on getting it.

You can’t make a new claim for DLA or PIP mobility component after the age of 65.

You can get Attendance Allowance if you are disabled, you have care needs and you are 65 or over. You must not be living permanently in hospital or accommodation funded by a local authority, for example, a local authority care home.

To get AA, you must have lived in the UK for two years in the last three years. However, this rule doesn’t apply to people who are terminally ill.

The rule also doesn’t apply to members of the armed forces serving abroad or to certain EEA or Swiss nationals living in the UK.

You must be living in the UK when you make a claim for AA and the UK must be your ‘habitual’ (normal) place of residence. You must not have any immigration controls on your stay here that would stop you getting the benefit.

To get Attendance Allowance you have to have had care needs for at least six months (unless you are terminally ill).

You have care needs if you need help with your ‘bodily functions’, for example, washing, getting dressed and going to the toilet. This help can include attention, which allows you to take part in social activities.

You also have care needs if you need supervision to stop you from being a danger to yourself or others.

If you are terminally ill, you are automatically treated as having care needs.

You do not actually have to be receiving help for your care needs. As long as you have the needs, it does not matter whether you are getting or planning to get care.

Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates, a higher rate and a lower rate. You get the lower rate of AA if you need frequent care throughout the day or night. You get the higher rate if you need frequent care throughout the day and night or if you are terminally ill. Current rates of AA – £82.30 (Higher rate) £55.10 (Lower rate).

You can claim Attendance Allowance by phoning the Attendance Allowance Service Centre for a claim pack.

You cannot get AA for any period before you make your claim. The date of your claim is the date you first get in touch with the Department for Work and Pensions or the Social Security Agency and tell them you want to apply for AA.

You have to return the claim form and all the information they need within the time required. If you need more time to return everything, you should get in touch with the office.

The claim form for AA is long and you may need help completing it. After the Department for Work and Pensions receive the form, you may have to have a medical examination.

If you cannot open or manage an account, you can be paid by Simple Payment. The DWP will give you a Simple Payment card which you can use to collect your benefit at a PayPoint outlet displaying the Simple Payment sign.

AA is paid as long as you have care needs. It may be awarded for an indefinite period or a fixed period. However, the benefit will stop after 28 days if you go into hospital, or a care home or other residential accommodation that is state funded.