What counts as needing supervision?

Supervision, not just physical help

Yes. There is no list of qualifying conditions – what counts is the help or supervision the person needs because of a physical or mental disability, not the name of the diagnosis. The official claim form itself uses "Alzheimers" as its own example of an illness or disability.

How much

A worked example

Invented example, not a real claim: someone we'll call Nora is steady on her feet but cannot be trusted with the cooker, and has blacked out twice without warning. Nobody needs to hold her arm to walk, but someone does need to be within reach. That is supervision – it counts on its own, without any physical help alongside it.

Often missed

Policy in Practice estimates over 1.1 million pension-age households in Great Britain could be missing out on Attendance Allowance, worth about £5.2bn a year. Supervision needs are easy to under-describe, because there is often no single task to point to.

If you are doing the caring

Carer's Allowance pays £86.45 a week (April 2026 to April 2027). To get it, the carer must care for the person for at least 35 hours a week, earn no more than £204 a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses, be 16 or over, and not be in full-time education. The person cared for must get a disability benefit such as Attendance Allowance. Carer's Allowance can affect the other benefits that the carer and the person they care for get, so get a free benefits check first, from Citizens Advice or Age UK.

How long the need must have lasted

Attendance Allowance usually needs the help or supervision to have already been needed for about 6 months, unless nearing the end of life, when the wait is skipped.

Special rules

There is a fast route for someone who might have 12 months or less to live. The usual 6-month wait does not apply, and a doctor or other medical professional fills in a form called SR1.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

In Scotland, Attendance Allowance has been replaced by Pension Age Disability Payment. It's a different form and a different office. In Northern Ireland, Attendance Allowance is run by the Department for Communities, with its own form.

What to do next

Ring 0800 731 0122 and ask for the claim form. The claim can start from the date of the call, if the form is returned within 6 weeks. DWP sends a text or letter within 3 weeks to say when to expect a decision.