The benefit is designed to help people over State Pension age with daily living expenses
Linda Howard Money and Consumer Writer and Kate Lally
08:04, 06 Oct 2025
It could be well worth checking if you are eligible(Image: Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may give pensioners with certain health conditions up to £110.40 a week in additional financial support. Attendance Allowance is tax-free, and not means-tested, and is paid out at either £73.90 (lower rate) or £110.40 (higher rate) per week.
Typically paid every four weeks, this equates to either £295.60 or £441.60 per pay period – a total of around £5,740.80 over the course of the 2025/26 financial year. The amount received depends on the level of support required, with the benefit designed to assist those of State Pension age with daily living costs, potentially enabling them to maintain their independence at home for longer.
There is no mobility component linked to Attendance Allowance. As of August 2024, there are 1,672,590 elderly people receiving Attendance Allowance, reports the Daily Record.
The benefit is intended to aid people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and mental or physical health problems. The list of conditions covered by Attendance Allowance is extensive, but arthritis is the most common disabling condition – a term used by the DWP – providing support for 483,376 people across the UK.
This list is not a checklist for claiming Attendance Allowance, but rather a guide to help people understand the types of conditions that are being supported. If you require additional support during the day or night due to a long-term illness, disability or health condition, it’s recommended to review the official eligibility guidance on the GOV.UK website.
The following figures illustrate the percentage of people claiming for health issues related to these 48 conditions:
Arthritis – 47%Spondylosis – 48%Back Pain – Other / Precise Diagnosis not Specified – 43%Disease Of The Muscles, Bones or Joints – 40%Trauma to Limbs – 36%Visual Disorders and Diseases – 41%Hearing Disorders – 42%Heart Disease – 50%Respiratory Disorders and Diseases – 33%Asthma – 47%Cystic Fibrosis – 27%Cerebrovascular Disease – 42%Peripheral vascular Disease – 41%Epilepsy – 44%Neurological Diseases – 50%Multiple Sclerosis – 52%Parkinson’s – 30%Motor Neurone Disease – 32%Chronic Pain Syndromes – 39%Diabetes Mellitus – 39%Metabolic Disease – 38%Traumatic Paraplegia – 54%Major Trauma Other than Traumatic/Paraplegia – 45%Learning Difficulties – 48%Psychosis – 44%Psychoneurosis – 38%Personality Disorder – 48%Dementia – 20%Behavioral Disorder – 28%Alcohol and Drug Abuse – 37%Hyperkinetic Syndrome – 27%Renal Disorders – 26%Inflammatory Bowel Disease – 42%Bowel and Stomach Disease – 37%Blood Disorders – 39%Haemophilia – 39%Multi System Disorders – 41%Multiple Allergy Syndrome – 44%Skin Disease – 37%Malignant Disease – 35%Haemodialysis – 22%Frailty – 100%AIDS – 47%Coronavirus covid-19 – 1%Viral disease – precise diagnosis not specified – 13%Tuberculosis – 53%Bacterial disease – precise diagnosis not specified – 43%Cognitive disorder (other) – 22%
Attendance Allowance assists with extra costs if you have a physical or mental disability or illness severe enough that makes it hard for you to look after yourself – it does not cover mobility needs. You do not need to have someone caring for you in order to make a claim.
Who can claim Attendance Allowance from DWP?
If you have a disability or illness and require assistance or supervision throughout the day or at times during the night – even if you’re not currently receiving that help – you should consider applying for Attendance Allowance.
This could include needing help with personal care, such as getting dressed, eating or drinking, getting in and out of bed, bathing or showering, and using the toilet. It may also help a person to stay safe in their home.
You should also apply if you struggle with personal tasks, for example, if they take you a long time, cause you pain, or if you need physical support, like a chair to lean on.
Attendance Allowance isn’t just for people with a physical disability or illness. You should also claim if you need help or supervision throughout the day or night and have a mental health condition, learning difficulties, or a sensory condition – if you are deaf or visually impaired.
Attendance Allowance isn’t means-tested, so your other income or savings won’t affect it – there’s no limit. It is also tax-free and you will be exempt from the Benefit Cap, meaning you won’t have money deducted from any other benefits.
It won’t impact your State Pension and you can even claim it if you’re still employed and earning money. To find out more, or to make a claim, click here
