Attendance Allowance is a weekly payment for people over State Pension age who need help looking after themselves, or someone to keep them safe, because of a disability or health condition. Attendance allowance eligibility has nothing to do with income or savings, and your parent does not need to have a carer already. If they struggle with washing, dressing, getting to the toilet, taking medication or staying safe, they may well qualify.
Many families in Worthing and across West Sussex only hear about it once care has started. Claim early: it cannot be backdated, and it can unlock more Pension Credit, Council Tax help and Carer’s Allowance for you.
In short: £76.70 or £114.60 a week in 2026/27, not means-tested, for people of State Pension age who have needed help for at least six months, or straight away at the higher rate if they are nearing the end of life.
Attendance allowance rates 2026 (2026/27)
There are two rates. Which one your parent gets depends on whether they need help in the day, at night, or both.
| Rate | Weekly amount | Roughly per year | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower rate | £76.70 | £3,988 | Frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night |
| Higher rate | £114.60 | £5,959 | Help or supervision both day and night, or a medical professional has said they are nearing the end of life |
The money is paid into a bank, building society or credit union account. It is tax-free and there are no rules on how it is spent. Most families put it towards the cost of home care, a cleaner, taxis to appointments or extra heating.
Attendance allowance eligibility: who qualifies
Your parent can claim if they have reached State Pension age and have a physical or mental disability, or a health condition, that means they need help caring for themselves or supervision to keep them or others safe. They must usually have needed that help for at least six months.
The DWP also checks that they:
- are in Great Britain when they claim, and have been here for at least two of the last three years (with some exceptions)
- are habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
- are not already getting Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance
The test is about the help they need, not the help they get. Someone who lives alone and struggles through the day unaided can still qualify. Help that counts includes washing, dressing, eating, getting in and out of bed, using the toilet, moving around the home, taking medication and communicating. Supervision counts too, for example someone who might fall, forget the cooker or wander.
At night, the DWP looks for help that is prolonged or repeated, or for someone who needs to stay awake to watch over them. Age UK’s guidance describes this as one spell of 20 minutes or more, or two or more shorter spells a night.
Care homes and hospital stays
Attendance Allowance usually stops if the local authority pays for a care home place, but it continues if your parent pays the full care home fees themselves. Payments normally stop after 28 days in hospital and restart when they come home, so tell the DWP about any admission. If your parent is being discharged from Worthing Hospital or elsewhere, our guide to care after hospital discharge covers the practical side.
Can I get attendance allowance if I have savings?
Yes. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so savings, pensions, property and other income make no difference to whether your parent qualifies or how much they get.
This is the most common reason people never claim. Families assume a comfortably-off parent will not qualify. If your parent is funding their own care at home, Attendance Allowance can cover a meaningful chunk of it: the higher rate pays for roughly three to four hours of visiting care a week at typical West Sussex rates.
Savings do matter for other help, including Pension Credit and council-funded care. Our guide to the council’s financial assessment for home care explains how Attendance Allowance is treated when West Sussex County Council works out what your parent pays.
Attendance allowance for dementia
People living with dementia often qualify, frequently at the higher rate, because the need for supervision and prompting counts as well as hands-on help. A formal diagnosis is not required to claim, although it helps to mention any memory assessment or referral.
What matters is showing the DWP what actually happens. Useful points to describe include:
- needing prompting to wash, change clothes, eat or take tablets
- being at risk from the cooker, taps, doors or going out alone
- confusion, distress or getting up repeatedly at night
- not recognising danger, or being unable to judge whether they are unwell
People with dementia often play down their difficulties, so a family member who sees the day-to-day reality should help fill in the form. Our step-by-step guide on how to fill in the Attendance Allowance form goes through each section, and dementia care at home covers the support that can follow.
Attendance allowance special rules for terminal illness
If a doctor or nurse thinks your parent may have 12 months or less to live, they can claim under the special rules. They get the higher rate of £114.60 a week straight away, there is no six-month qualifying period, and the claim is dealt with much faster. Age UK says special rules claims are usually decided within about two weeks.
To claim this way (see GOV.UK’s end of life claims page), ask a doctor, specialist nurse or hospice team for form SR1. They either give it to you or send it straight to the DWP. You then make the claim online or on the paper form, answering yes to the special rules question. You do not need to fill in the long sections about care needs. Your parent does not need to be told about the claim if they would rather not know their prognosis; someone else can make it on their behalf.
In the Worthing area, your parent’s GP, hospital specialist nurse or the St Barnabas House hospice team are the people to ask for the SR1. See also our guide to end of life care at home.
PIP or attendance allowance: which one?
It depends on age. Personal Independence Payment is for people under State Pension age, which is currently 66 and rising gradually to 67. Attendance Allowance is for people who make a new claim once they have reached State Pension age.
- If your parent is already over State Pension age and has never claimed, they claim Attendance Allowance.
- If they were getting PIP before they reached State Pension age, they usually keep PIP and do not switch.
- They cannot get both at the same time.
One practical difference: PIP has a mobility component and Attendance Allowance does not, so claim PIP before State Pension age if someone already needs help getting around.
Pension Credit and attendance allowance
This is where an award can be worth far more than the weekly payment. Attendance Allowance itself is ignored as income for Pension Credit, but getting it can increase Pension Credit or bring someone into it for the first time.
Pension Credit tops up weekly income to £238 for a single person in 2026/27. On top of that, someone who gets Attendance Allowance can receive a severe disability amount of £86.05 a week, as long as they live alone (with some exceptions) and nobody is paid Carer’s Allowance for looking after them. That raises the amount they are entitled to, so people with income a little too high for Pension Credit on its own can find they qualify once Attendance Allowance is awarded.
Pension Credit then unlocks more: help with Council Tax, Housing Benefit for renters, free NHS dental treatment, Cold Weather Payments and, from age 75, a free TV licence.
There is a trade-off to understand. If a family member claims Carer’s Allowance and it is paid, the person being cared for loses the severe disability amount. For many families it still works out better overall, but check with a benefits adviser before claiming. Pension Credit can usually be backdated up to three months, so check Pension Credit on GOV.UK or contact the Pension Service promptly once the Attendance Allowance letter arrives.
How to claim attendance allowance
- Claim online or ask for the paper form (AA1). You can apply through GOV.UK, download the form, or call the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
- Protect the claim date. If you ask for a form by phone, the claim starts from the date of the call, provided the form is returned within six weeks. Online claims start the day they are submitted.
- Fill it in carefully. Describe the worst days and how often help is needed, not just the best days.
- Wait for the decision. The DWP says you will get a text or letter within three weeks explaining when to expect a decision.
- Challenge a refusal. If the claim is turned down or the rate looks wrong, ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the decision letter.
Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove offers help completing Attendance Allowance forms, and Citizens Advice can check the claim and any follow-on benefits.
Not sure what else your parent might be entitled to? Our free care funding checker takes a few minutes and shows which benefits and council support could apply, and our guide to home care funding in West Sussex sets out the full picture.
Find care near you
Tell us your postcode and what you need help with. We pass your details to one vetted CQC-registered agency in your area — you are told who they are, and that they pay us a fee, before anything is sent.
Frequently asked questions
Can attendance allowance be backdated?
No. It is paid from the date of claim, not from when the need started. That is why requesting the form by phone matters: the call date becomes the claim date if the form is back within six weeks. Special rules claims are the one situation where there is no six-month wait.
Does my parent need a carer to claim attendance allowance?
No. GOV.UK is clear that you do not need someone caring for you to claim. The test is whether your parent needs help or supervision, not whether anyone provides it.
Can I claim attendance allowance on behalf of my mum or dad?
You can help them complete and sign the form, and someone can sign on their behalf if they cannot manage it. If they cannot manage their own affairs, you would need to be their appointee or hold a Lasting Power of Attorney for property and financial affairs.
Is attendance allowance taxable?
No. It is tax-free and does not count as income for Pension Credit. It can, however, be counted as income when the council works out how much your parent pays towards council-arranged care.
Will attendance allowance be reviewed?
Awards can be for a fixed period or ongoing, and the DWP may review them. Tell the DWP if needs increase, because your parent may move from the lower to the higher rate.
The Care Panel is an independent publication. We are not a care provider and are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission, because we do not deliver care. Always check a provider’s own CQC registration and inspection report before you commit.
Written and fact-checked by The Care Panel. Last updated September 2026. Sources: GOV.UK Attendance Allowance guidance, GOV.UK Pension Credit guidance, DWP detailed guide to Pension Credit (April 2026), Age UK Factsheet 34 Attendance Allowance, Independent Age. General information, not financial, legal or medical advice — figures are indicative and subject to change.