How to claim Attendance Allowance for an elderly parent

# How to Claim Attendance Allowance for an Elderly Parent

Your dad has had a few falls, cannot manage the stairs alone, and you are now at his house most evenings. A neighbour mentions Attendance Allowance, and you wonder whether it is real, whether he would count, and whether you are allowed to help him apply. This guide covers England and Wales: who can get it, the two rates, what to gather, how the claim works, and what to do if the answer is no.

Attendance Allowance in one minute

Attendance Allowance is a weekly payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for people over State Pension age who have a disability or health condition and need help with personal care or supervision. GOV.UK describes it as covering care needs, not mobility needs, and your parent does not need to have a carer already.

GOV.UK shows two weekly rates (checked November 2026): £76.70 and £114.60. The lower rate is for frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night. The higher rate is for help or supervision during both day and night, or for someone a medical professional says is nearing the end of life.

It is not means tested, so your parent's income and savings do not change the amount. Age UK also says the money is not taxable. Payments go into a bank, building society or credit union account.

If your parent lives in Scotland, they apply for Pension Age Disability Payment instead. Northern Ireland has its own process.

Who qualifies

According to the GOV.UK eligibility page, your parent must:

• have reached State Pension age
• have a physical or mental disability, sensory disability or health condition severe enough that they need help caring for themselves, or supervision for their own or someone else's safety
• have needed that help for at least 6 months
• be in Great Britain when they claim, and meet the residence rules (broadly, at least 2 of the last 3 years in Great Britain)

Two traps are worth knowing about. First, your parent cannot get Attendance Allowance if they receive Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment or certain other disability benefits. Second, GOV.UK says someone in a care home usually cannot get it if the local authority pays for their care, but can claim if they pay all their care home costs themselves.

An assessment is only needed if it is unclear how the condition affects your parent. Most claims are decided from the form.

Step 1: Talk with your parent first

This is your parent's benefit and their information. Explain what it is, ask whether they are comfortable with you helping, and agree who will deal with the paperwork. If your parent may lose the ability to decide for themselves, our UK LPA checklist covers the conversation to have while they still can.

Step 2: Gather what the claim asks for

GOV.UK lists what you need to hand:

• your parent's National Insurance number
• their address and contact details
• details of the disability or health condition they need help for
• details of their GP surgery or medical centre
• details of the care home, hospital or hospice, if they are staying in one

Age UK also advises attaching supporting evidence such as GP letters, care plans or a prescription list. A one-page medical information sheet keeps the diagnoses, medicines and GP details together so you are not hunting through drawers mid-form. If you also help with GP services, see NHS proxy access for a parent.

Step 3: Choose how to claim

You can apply online through GOV.UK, or use the paper form. The claim form is AA1A, a 32-page PDF with a separate 12-page set of filling-in notes on GOV.UK. GOV.UK says you cannot complete it on a phone or tablet: use a desktop or laptop with a PDF reader, or print it and write by hand. Read the notes first.

You can also call the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) and ask for a form. Relay UK users dial 18001 first. The helpline can send paper, large print, braille or audio versions.

Post the completed form to Freepost, DWP Attendance Allowance. GOV.UK says to write nothing else on the envelope; no stamp or postcode is needed.

If your parent is nearing the end of life, there is a separate, quicker route on GOV.UK. Use it instead of the standard form.

Step 4: Describe what a hard day looks like

The form asks about help with washing, dressing, eating, medication, moving around, and supervision at night. Age UK's advice is to be clear about how the condition affects daily life and to include evidence. Practical habits that help:

• Write down what your parent cannot do safely on their own, not only what they struggle with.
• Note how often help is needed, including at night.
• Keep a week-long log before you start. It also helps if you later claim Carer's Allowance for the same parent.
• Do not minimise. Many people understate their needs out of pride.

Step 5: Know when the claim starts

The start date depends on how you apply, per GOV.UK. If you claim online, it is the date you make the claim. By post, it is the date DWP receives the form. If you phone to request a form, it is the date of your call, provided the form is returned within 6 weeks. That is why it can be worth ringing the helpline the day you decide to apply, even if the form takes a while.

Step 6: After you apply

DWP should text or write within 3 weeks to say when to expect a decision. A letter then explains the outcome and the first payment date. If you disagree, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration, and you can complain to DWP if you are unhappy with the service. If your parent's needs change later, they must report the change, as a different rate may apply.

Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance

Attendance Allowance is paid to your parent. Carer's Allowance is paid to you, and one of its rules is that the person you care for already receives a qualifying benefit, which for most older parents is Attendance Allowance. Read the Carer's Allowance guide for the 35-hour rule and the earnings limit. If siblings share the work, sharing parent care with siblings helps you agree who does what, and caring for elderly parents gives a four-week starting plan.

Where ParentFile fits

ParentFile is an organization tool. It helps you keep a parent's medical details together and share a one-page sheet with family. It does not apply for benefits, check eligibility or give financial, medical or legal advice. You can start with the free ER sheet.

Printable checklist

• Talk to your parent and agree who handles the paperwork
• Check they are at State Pension age and not already getting DLA, PIP or ADP
• Check care home funding if they live in one (self-funded can claim)
• Gather National Insurance number, address, GP surgery and condition details
• Collect evidence: GP letters, care plan, prescription list
• Ring 0800 731 0122 or start online to set the claim date
• Download AA1A and the notes, read the notes first
• Describe help needed by day and by night, honestly
• Post to Freepost, DWP Attendance Allowance (nothing else on the envelope)
• Keep a copy and note the date; diarise 3 weeks for DWP's reply