According to the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) benefits 2023 statistics, there were 1.6 million Attendance Allowance claimants in Great Britain.
1.5 claimants were receiving a payment and 130,000 (8%) were entitled to the benefit but not receiving payment.
But what is Attendance Allowance? Who is entitled to it and how can applicants ensure they receive the benefit?
Let’s take a closer look.
What is Attendance Allowance?
If a person has a long-term physical or mental condition or disability, they are entitled to extra money through Attendance Allowance.
It doesn’t matter what the condition is, what matters is how a person is affected. If a person has reached State Pension age, and the following apply, they may be eligible:
- They have a physical disability, a mental disability, or both
- Their disability is severe enough to need help caring for themself or someone to supervise them, for their own or someone else’s safety
- They have needed help for at least 6 months
- They have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years
- Not receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
Attendance Allowance isn’t means-tested, so it doesn’t matter what a person’s income or savings are. Attendance Allowance also doesn’t need to be spent on care, it can be spent on whatever makes your life easier.
If a person is eligible to receive Attendance Allowance, it won’t reduce their benefits, in fact, it could increase them. For example, if someone has a carer, claiming Attendance Allowance could help them qualify for Carer’s Allowance - and both could be entitled to other extra help too.
Carers with a long-term condition or disability can also claim Attendance Allowance for themselves and it won’t affect any Carer’s Allowance they receive.
Attendance Allowance rates for 2024/2025
When it comes to Attendance Allowance, there are two different rates (higher and lower). How much a person receives for Attendance Allowance will depend on the following:
- How much care or supervision a person requires
- How much difficulty they have on a daily basis
- Whether they need help during the day, at night or both
The two rates are:
- Higher rate: If a person needs frequent care or supervision during the day and at night, or you have a terminal illness
- Lower rate: If a person requires frequent care or supervision during the day or at night
In April 2024, Attendance Allowance rates - like many other benefits - rose by 6.7%.
This means, for 2024/25, those who qualify for the higher rate of Attendance Allowance will receive:
- £108.55 a week
- £470.38 a month
- £5,644.60 a year
Recipients of the lower rate of Attendance Allowance for 2024/25 will receive:
- £72.65 a week
- £314.82 a month
- £3,777.80 a year
Why are applicants rejected?
Did you know over half of all Attendance Allowance applications are rejected?
The most common reason for this is due to applicants not putting down specific symptoms or issues - with many not saying how much of an effect their condition has on their day-to-day life, or how significant their condition is.
If a client or their loved one is entitled to Attendance Allowance, mention how important it is to include honest information about the scope of their condition - to ensure they receive this worthwhile financial benefit that they are entitled to.
Filling in an Attendance Allowance application
Before filling out the Attendance Allowance form, applicants will need the following information:
- Their National Insurance number
- Your GP’s name and surgery address
- Details of any current medication
- Details of any other medical professionals consulted about illness or disability in the past 12 months
- Hospital record number (if there is one)
- Name, address and dates of stay in a hospital, care home or similar place
The form is long; it doesn’t need to be completed all in one go, so it’s worth taking the time to complete it.
Here are some tips for your clients before filling out the form:
- List the help needed
- Think about the difficulties they have and what help would make things easier – and point out adjustments that have been made already
- Be honest about how long things take them and if they can do them safely
- Explain any help needed to use equipment or adaptations, or any additional help from someone as well as the equipment and adaptations
- Keeping a diary to document how much help they need or how long things take can be helpful – this can be useful if a person’s condition changes
- Applicants qualify if they need help ‘most of the time’. If their needs vary, make a list of the help needed on different days
- Think about how much help they need overall – not just the good days
- Explain any falls or accidents they’ve had
Evidence is important when filling in an Attendance Allowance claim form, so include as much as possible, for example:
- A letter from your GP or consultant
- A care plan created by your local council or authority - or by KareHero’s Care Expert team
- Information from a community psychiatric nurse
- Appointment letters
- Prescription lists
- Reports from an occupational therapist explaining the equipment and home adaptations needed for you to continue living there safely
It’s important applicants keep a copy of the form and any evidence included, as it will be useful should they need to appeal.
Attendance Allowance can also be backdated to the date of a claim (usually the date the form is received or the date an applicant calls the enquiry line).
Potential applicants can apply by filling in the Attendance Allowance Claim form. Alternatively, they can contact the Attendance Allowance helpline to ask for a pack, or for advice with filling it out.
Appealing an Attendance Allowance decision
Applicants can appeal against an Attendance Allowance decision awarded by local authorities or councils.
However, before a person can appeal, they must have asked the DWP to look at the decision again - this is known as ‘mandatory reconsideration’.
It is worth noting that challenging an Attendance Allowance decision could mean an applicant ends up with less Attendance Allowance than they were originally awarded, or nothing at all.
If the DWP doesn’t change their decision via mandatory reconsideration, applicants can appeal to an independent tribunal panel.
To appeal to a tribunal, applicants will need:
- Their letter from the DWP with the words ‘Mandatory Reconsideration Notice’ at the top - if lost it, ask for a new one
- To send their appeal form in within 1 month of the date shown on the mandatory reconsideration notice, the form must get to the tribunal within 1 month