The help or supervision needed because of a physical or mental disability – not the diagnosis itself, and not who is actually giving that help.
Need, not diagnosis
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 claim form (AA1), question 16, page 7. It uses "Alzheimers" as its own example of an illness or disability.
Two kinds of help
The form asks about two kinds of help. One is physical help with things like washing, dressing, eating, or moving around. The other is supervision – needing someone to watch over you so you don't come to harm, even without any physical task involved.
Needed, even if not met
The form asks about help that is needed, whether or not anyone is currently giving it.
How much
Savings, income and pensions do not count towards it, and it is not taxed.
The three checks
- Over State Pension age.
- Needs help or watching over because of an illness or disability.
- Has needed that help for about 6 months.
A worked example
Invented example, not a real claim: someone we'll call Doreen can wash her own face, but needs someone to run the bath, check the water isn't too hot, and stay nearby in case she slips. Writing "needs help bathing" tells DWP very little. Saying what she can and can't do, how often, and what happens if nobody is there is what the form is really asking for.
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. Do not assume a need is too small, or too irregular, to be worth writing down.
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.
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.
Questions people ask
Does help have to be given by a paid carer?
No. It can be a family member, a friend, or nobody at all right now – what matters is the help or supervision needed, not who, if anyone, is providing it.
Does prompting or reminding count as help?
It can. If someone needs reminding or prompting – to eat, take medicine or get dressed – say what, how often, and what happens when nobody does it.
What if the need only comes and goes, not every day?
Describe how often it happens and what happens on the days it does. A need that comes and goes still counts – detail matters more than whether it's daily.
Is watching over someone the same as "help"?
Yes. Supervision – watching over someone so they don't come to harm – counts as help on the form, even without any physical task involved.
Does it cost anything to fill in the form?
You can apply to DWP directly, and Citizens Advice can help at no cost.
Sources
Last checked 30 September 2026 against the sources below.
- Attendance Allowance eligibility, GOV.UK
- The claim form (AA1), question 16, page 7.
- Attendance Allowance rates, GOV.UK
- Attendance Allowance rates, MoneySavingExpert
- People of pension age may be missing out on £5.2 billion, Policy in Practice
- Carer's Allowance (Carers UK)
- Carer's Allowance (GOV.UK)
- Pension Age Disability Payment, mygov.scot
- Attendance Allowance, nidirect
- How to claim Attendance Allowance, GOV.UK