More than 1.7 million people aged 66 and over currently receive Attendance Allowance, a tax-free benefit designed to help older people who need support because of a disability or health condition. Yet a substantial number of pensioners who could qualify are not making a claim, leaving billions of pounds in support unclaimed.
According to the Daily Express, figures from Policy in Practice indicate that as many as 1.1 million pensioners failed to claim Attendance Allowance in 2023, representing an estimated £5.2 billion in unpaid support. The figures have renewed attention on who can qualify, how much the benefit pays and the conditions commonly associated with successful claims.
Who Can Receive Attendance Allowance and How Much It Pays
Attendance Allowance is available to people over State Pension age who need help with everyday activities such as washing, dressing or eating, or who require supervision to remain safe. Applicants must normally have needed that help for at least six months, although people who are terminally ill can claim immediately.
The benefit is paid at two weekly rates. The lower rate is £76.70 for people who need help during either the day or the night, while the higher rate is £114.60 for those who need assistance both day and night, or who are terminally ill. The higher rate amounts to around £458.40 a month and more than £5,500 a year.
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so income and savings do not affect entitlement. Claimants also do not need to employ a carer, and a formal medical diagnosis is not required when applying.
According to Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams CBE, the payment is intended to help older people meet some of the extra costs associated with disability or serious health conditions. She said successful claimants might use it towards additional heating costs, taxi fares for hospital appointments or travel to visit friends. People cannot claim Attendance Allowance if they already receive Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment or the care component of Disability Living Allowance.
The 56 Conditions Linked With Attendance Allowance Claims
The list reported by the Daily Express contains 56 conditions and categories associated with Attendance Allowance. They range from common long-term illnesses to severe disabilities and terminal conditions, although eligibility depends on the help or supervision a person needs rather than on a diagnosis alone.
The conditions include arthritis, spondylosis, back pain, heart disease, chest disease, asthma, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, chronic pain syndromes and diabetes mellitus. Dementia, psychosis, learning difficulties, behavioural disorders and cognitive disorders are also included.
Other categories cover blindness, deafness, deaf-blindness, renal disorders, haemodialysis, inflammatory bowel disease, blood disorders, haemophilia, skin disease, malignant disease, major trauma, limb trauma, double amputation and frailty. The list also includes infectious diseases such as Covid-19, tuberculosis and malaria, alongside broader categories where the precise diagnosis is not specified. Terminal illness forms the final category.
Past rejection, high savings or the absence of a carer do not automatically prevent someone from applying. Applications can be made online or by requesting a postal form through the Department for Work and Pensions, while Age UK also provides assistance with completing the application.
