Guides › Pensions and Retirement › Attendance Allowance: Who Can Get It
Attendance Allowance: Who Can Get It
Attendance Allowance helps people over State Pension age whose disability or health condition means they need someone to help look after them. It pays £76.70 or £114.60 a week, depending on the care you need. You usually must have needed help for at least 6 months, but people nearing the end of life can get it faster.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Attendance Allowance
GOV.UK
You could get £76.70 or £114.60 a week to help with personal support if you are State Pension age or older and have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you. It does not cover mobility needs. Getting it could mean extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. source
Eligibility
You must have needed help for at least 6 months. If you are nearing the end of life you might get it more quickly and at the higher rate. You usually must have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 6 monthsNeeding helpBefore you can usually claim
- 1 monthAsk for a reconsiderationIf refused
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Note the help you need day and night, even if no one gives it.
Step 2 of 5
Claim using the GOV.UK form.
Step 3 of 5
Describe your hardest days.
Step 4 of 5
If refused, ask for a mandatory reconsideration.
Step 5 of 5
Check Pension Credit and Council Tax Reduction after an award.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Mandatory Reconsideration (GOV.UK)
Ask for a benefit decision to be looked at again.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
You do not need a carer to get it: it is about the help you need.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/attendance-allowance Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/attendance-allowance/eligibility Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/mandatory-reconsideration Checked 8 October 2026