Built by a former family carer, for family carers. V3 · June 2026
Does the person you care for get the help they’re entitled to?

Attendance Allowance Checker

A tax-free payment for people over 66 who need help looking after themselves. Answer the questions below to see if the person you care for may qualify — and what else it could open the door to.

The two rates

Lower rate
Help during the day, or at night
£76.70 / week
For people who need regular help during the day, or someone to be around at night — but not necessarily both.

Paid every 4 weeks: £306.80
Higher rate
Help during the day and at night
£114.60 / week
For people who need help both during the day and at night — or who have a terminal illness.

Paid every 4 weeks: £458.40
GOOD TO KNOW It is completely free to claim — your income, savings, and pension make no difference at all. Around 1 million people who qualify have never applied, often because they assume their savings rule them out. They don’t.[1] If awarded, payments usually last 3 years before a renewal check.

The checker

Attendance Allowance is only for people aged 66 or over. If they are younger, a different benefit called PIP (Personal Independence Payment) may apply instead.
If they were already getting PIP or DLA when they turned 66, they keep it — they do not move over to Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance is only for people making a new disability benefit claim after age 66.[3]
The rules are the same everywhere, but the name and the claim process differ. Scotland has its own version called Pension Age Disability Payment. Northern Ireland has its own phone number and claim route.
You can put in the claim before the 6 months is up — DWP takes several weeks to process it, so it makes sense to apply early.
What counts — and what to write on the form

What counts: anything to do with looking after their body — washing, dressing, eating, getting to the toilet, taking medication, moving around the home, breathing safely, staying safe. Using a walking frame or other aid still counts if they need help even with the aid.

What usually doesn’t count directly: housework, cooking meals, shopping. But mentioning these things can help paint a fuller picture of how the condition affects daily life.

The most important thing on the form: describe how they are on a bad day, not a good one. A lot of claims are refused or underpaid simply because people describe how they manage when things are going reasonably well. DWP wants to know about the hard days.[6]

Someone else can fill in the form on their behalf if needed — for example if they are too unwell, or if they do not want to know details about their prognosis. The person being cared for just needs to sign it.

Night needs — the most commonly missed part of the claim

This does not mean someone has to be physically present all night. If the person needs someone to be awake and available in case something goes wrong — because of dementia, epilepsy, anxiety, confusion, or disorientation — that counts as a night-time need.[6]

The difference between the lower rate (£76.70) and the higher rate (£114.60) often comes down entirely to whether night needs are included. Many people who should be getting the higher rate are only on the lower rate because the night-time help wasn’t mentioned on the form.

If they occasionally need help getting to the toilet at night, or if they get confused and unsafe after dark — tick this and describe it on the form. It could be worth an extra £37.90 per week.

This matters for one of the extra payments that Attendance Allowance can trigger. If they live alone and nobody is claiming Carer’s Allowance for them, an extra £86.05 per week may be added to their Pension Credit. See the “What else it opens the door to” section below.
If yes, that person may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance once Attendance Allowance is in payment. But there is an important catch to know about first — see the section below.

What the checker found

—Answer the questions above and the results will appear here.

Likely result

—
—
Complete the checker above to see the likely result.

What else it opens the door to

Getting Attendance Allowance is often the trigger that unlocks a whole set of other help. The cards below are greyed out until the checker above confirms likely eligibility, then light up. Read the “Pension Credit extra” card carefully before any carer claims Carer’s Allowance — there is an important trade-off.

🤝
Carer’s Allowance for the carer
£86.45 / week
Once Attendance Allowance is in payment, the person who cares for them — if they provide 35+ hours a week and earn £204 or less per week after tax — may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance. Check with the Carer’s Allowance & SDP Checker first →[7]
⚠️
Pension Credit extra — read this first
£86.05 / week extra
If the person being cared for gets Pension Credit and lives alone, Attendance Allowance can add an extra £86.05 per week to that Pension Credit. But — this extra disappears the moment someone claims Carer’s Allowance for looking after them. The two do not go together. Read the warning below before anyone claims Carer’s Allowance.[8]
🏦
Pension Credit — may now qualify
Could be newly eligible
Attendance Allowance is not counted as income when working out Pension Credit. This means some people who were not eligible before may now qualify — even if they have a pension or some savings. Run the free Pension Credit checker → with their updated details once AA is in payment.[9]
🏠
Housing Benefit
May increase
An AA award can increase Housing Benefit. If other adults share the home, a deduction that is currently being made from Housing Benefit also stops once AA is in payment. Contact the local council to ask for a recalculation.[5]
🏛️
Council Tax Reduction
May increase or start
An AA award can increase Council Tax Reduction, or create a new entitlement where there was none before. Contact the local council after the AA award to ask them to check.[9]

Things that can affect the payment

Going into hospital

Attendance Allowance keeps being paid for the first 28 days in hospital, then stops. If someone goes home and then goes back into hospital within 28 days, those two stays are added together — the clock does not restart from zero. AA starts again from the day they are discharged.

Always tell the DWP when someone goes into hospital or comes home. Stopping AA can also reduce Pension Credit — so tell the Pension Service too.[10]

Moving into a care home

If they pay all their own fees: AA continues as normal.

If the council pays some or all of the fees: AA stops 28 days after moving in. If the council is paying the fees now but the person will repay them later (sometimes called a deferred payment), AA continues during that period.

Always tell the DWP when someone moves into a care home, and tell them if the way the fees are being paid changes.[10]

Going abroad

AA continues during short trips abroad. If the person is out of the UK for more than 4 weeks, the DWP must be told. Moving abroad permanently means AA stops.[11]

If their needs get worse

If someone is on the lower rate and their needs have increased — for example they now also need help at night — the award can be reviewed and upgraded to the higher rate. Any increase can be backdated to when you first contacted DWP about the change. Call 0800 731 0122 to request a review.[6]

How to claim

IMPORTANT More claims are turned down — or paid at the wrong rate — because of how the form is filled in than because the person didn’t genuinely qualify. Write about bad days, not good ones. Cover night-time needs separately. Be specific and detailed.[6]

If the claim is refused or you think the rate is wrong

Ask for a review (called a Mandatory Reconsideration): you have one month from the date on the decision letter to ask DWP to look at it again. Write to them explaining what you think is wrong, and include any medical letters or evidence that was missed. Around 35–40% of reviews result in the decision being changed.[12]

Watch out for this: DWP sometimes offers a phone call to explain the decision before registering the review. Do not let this replace the formal written request — confirm in writing that you want the decision reviewed.

If the review still says no, appeal to an independent tribunal: you have one month from the review decision to do this. Around 65–70% of AA appeals are decided in the claimant’s favour. The tribunal is completely separate from DWP. Citizens Advice, Age UK, and local welfare rights services can help prepare the case, usually for free.[12]

One important caution: very occasionally, a review or appeal results in the payment being reduced rather than increased. Get advice first if you are unsure — Citizens Advice can give a quick assessment of the likely chances.

Where to get help

Attendance Allowance helpline
0800 731 0122 · Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
Free from UK mobiles and landlines.
Calling to request the form sets an earlier claim start date than downloading it.
gov.uk/attendance-allowance
Download the AA1 form and guidance notes →
Scotland — Pension Age Disability Payment
0800 182 2222 · Social Security Scotland
Different form, same rates as AA.
mygov.scot
Northern Ireland
0800 587 0912 · NI Direct
Same rules, different application route.
nidirect.gov.uk
Age UK
0800 678 1602 · Free advice line
Can help fill in the form.
ageuk.org.uk
Citizens Advice
0800 144 8848 · Free benefits advice
Can help with reviews and appeals.
citizensadvice.org.uk
Carers UK
0808 808 7777 · Mon–Fri 9am–6pm
Advice for the person doing the caring.
carersuk.org
Pension Service
0800 99 1234
Call after AA is awarded to check if Pension Credit has increased.
gov.uk/pension-credit
Independent Age
0800 319 6789 · Free helpline
Help for older people and their families.
independentage.org

Sources

... www.carersinfo.com · Built by a former family carer, for family carers.

© 2026 CarersInfo.com. All rights reserved.

Independent. Carers Info is not affiliated with the DWP, HM Government, or any organisation linked from this page.

Not advice. This tool gives general guidance based on 2026/27 rates and rules. It is not financial, legal or professional advice. Always confirm your actual entitlement with Age UK, Citizens Advice, or the relevant government department before claiming.

No liability. Carers Info accepts no responsibility for any loss or missed entitlement arising from reliance on this tool.

Rates (2026/27): AA lower £76.70/wk, higher £114.60/wk. Carer’s Allowance £86.45/wk, earnings limit £204/wk. Pension Credit disability extra £86.05/wk. Source: GOV.UK benefit rates 2026/27.