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Attendance Allowance - rates and how to claim

Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates depending on how your disability affects you. The claim pack gives some examples of different levels of care needs.

Rates

Attendance Allowance Weekly rate
Higher rate £73.60
Lower rate £49.30

How to claim

Claim straight away - if you delay you may lose benefit. You can get a claim pack by contacting the various contacts listed below.

Call the benefit enquiry line

This is a confidential freephone service for people with disabilities and carers which provides advice and information on Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Carer's Allowance and Carer's Credit.

  • phone: 0800 220 674
  • textphone: 0800 243 787

An answer phone service is available 24 hours a day where you can leave a message. You will be called back between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on Thursday.

You can call and ask to be sent a claim pack.

The enquiry line can also arrange for someone to help you fill out the claim form if required.

If you request a claim pack, the date of your phone call will be treated as your date of claim from which Attendance Allowance can be paid, as long as you send your form back within six weeks of that date. If you delay making a claim, you may lose out on benefit.

The person taking your call will not have your personal papers, but will be able to give you general advice. This advice must not be taken as a decision about your claim.

Contact your local Social Security/Jobs and Benefits office

If you request a form from your local Social Security/Jobs & Benefits office, the date of request will be treated as your date of claim from which Attendance Allowance can be paid. This is as long as the form you receive is returned within six weeks of that date. If you delay making a claim, you may lose out on benefit.

Download a form to print at home

You can also download a claim form to print off and fill in using a pen. The form comes with notes that will help you fill it in and tell you where to send it. The day your form is received back will be treated as the date of your claim.

Once you have made your claim

Once you have made your claim, you can get advice on Attendance Allowance from the Disability and Carers Service.

It will usually take around 25 working days to deal with your claim, unless the claim is made under the special rules, in which case it will be dealt with much more quickly.

Effect on other benefits and entitlements

If your claim for Attendance Allowance is successful, you may get extra money for severe disability paid as part of:

  • Pension Credit
  • Housing Benefit

If someone claims Carer's Allowance for providing care to you and they are paid Carer's Allowance, you may not be able to receive this extra amount. You can download a leaflet with information and advice about Carer's Allowance.

For more information, you should contact the office dealing with your claim, or the Disability and Carers Service.

Warm Homes Scheme

If you need help paying for heating and insulation improvements in your privately-owned or rented home, you, your partner or civil partner may be able to get money from the government's Warm Homes Scheme. This is if, for example, you're receiving income or disability-related benefits.

If you think a decision about your benefit claim is wrong

If you think a decision about your benefit claim is wrong, you can contact the Disability and Carers Service to explain it. You can also ask to have the decision reconsidered and, if you're still unhappy, you can in most cases appeal against the decision.

If you're not happy with the service you receive

If you have any complaints or comments about the way your benefit claim has been handled and the service you receive, you can contact the Disability and Carers Service.

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