Attendance Allowance is worth up to £434.20 every four weeks and is awarded to people over state pension age who need extra help or supervision because of a disability of illness. It is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and instead of there being a set list of conditions, your eligibility for Attendance Allowance all depends on how your condition affects your daily life. It is important to tell the DWP if your circumstances have changed, as this could impact how much Attendance Allowance you're entitled to. You should let the DWP know if:.
You can contact the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122, or 0800 731 0317 for Textphone. For Relay UK, the number is 18001 then 0800 731 0122. You can use the British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer. You will also need to let the DWP if you've been paid too much Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance is worth £72.65 a week if you need help or supervision during the day, or supervision at night, or £108.55 a week if you need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or if you’re nearing the end of your life. The benefit is paid every four weeks, which means you could receive either £290.60 or £434.20 every pay period.
You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim - for example, you could choose to spend the money on things that keep you independent, such as paying for taxis or a cleaner. Attendance Allowance isn't means-tested and it does not matter how much you have in savings. It is also tax-free and you will be exempt from the benefit cap, so you won't have money taken away from any other benefits. In fact, any other benefits you already get might increase if you get Attendance Allowance. You won't be able to Attendance Allowance if you already get PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to pay for your care.
