Attendance Allowance is a non-means tested benefit and so your savings or income will not be taken into account. Attendance Allowance should not reduce any other income you may have. The purpose of Attendance Allowance is to help with the additional costs of living with a disability or long term health condition, to meet your needs and to promote independence.
Attendance Allowance is awarded based on the care that you require, not the care that you receive. You do not need to have a carer to receive Attendance Allowance.
Eligibility
You can apply for Attendance Allowance if you meet the following criteria:
- You are over state pension age
- You have a physical disability, a mental disability, or both
- You require assistance with personal care during the day and/or during the night (washing, eating, dressing, etc.)
- You have needed assistance for at least 6 months (unless you are terminally ill)
- You are a resident of the UK
Benefits
There are two award rates, called lower and higher, and which you are awarded is based on how much support you need for personal care.
Lower rate - you need frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night
Higher - you need help or supervision throughout both day and night
You can find the current weekly payment amounts for these two rates on the GOV.UK website - Attendance Allowance: What you'll get - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The length of your award depends on how long a decision maker from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) thinks your condition will affect you. It is important that you provide the DWP with supporting evidence explaining your neuromuscular condition when applying.
Information on how to apply for Attendance Allowance can be found on GOV.UK if you live in England, Wales, and Scotland, or nidirect if you live in Northern Ireland.