Millions of people across the UK suffering from certain health conditions can get up to £5,740 a year from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from April.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has confirmed that Attendance Allowance, a benefit awarded by the DWP, will increase by 1.7 percent next year in line with the previous September rate of inflation.
The benefit is given to people of State Pension age who have a physical or mental disability, or health condition that’s severe enough that they need someone to help look after them.
Attendance Allowance is paid weekly at two different rates and the amount you’re entitled to depends on the level of care you need due to your disability or health condition. Currently these rates are:
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£72.65 (lower rate) – given if you require frequent help or constant supervision during the day or at night.
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£108.55 (higher rate) – given if you need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said you’re nearing the end of life
Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, confirmed these rates will rise by 1.7 percent from April 7, 2025, giving claimants an extra income boost. It means that from April 7 the new rates will be £73.90 (lower rate) and £110.40 (higher rate) per week.
As such, if you’re claiming the highest rate the maximum amount you could get over a full year is £5,740.80, while claimants on the lower rate could get £3,842.80 over the same period. The benefit isn’t means-tested so the amount you get won’t be affected by what you earn or how much you have in savings.
To qualify for Attendance Allowance, you must have reached State Pension age, have been in England, Scotland or Wales within the last two years, be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, and:
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have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition
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have a disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety
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have needed help for at least six months
According to the DWP, there are 56 health conditions that may qualify for the benefit so if you suffer from any of these you might be entitled to make a claim:
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Arthritis
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Spondylosis
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Back Pain – other/precise diagnosis not specified
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Disease of the muscles, bones or joints
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Trauma to limbs
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Blindness
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Deafness
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Heart disease
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Chest disease
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Asthma
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Cystic fibrosis
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Cerebrovascular disease
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Peripheral vascular disease
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Epilepsy
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Neurological diseases
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Multiple sclerosis
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Parkinson’s disease
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Motor neurone disease
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Chronic pain syndromes
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Diabetes mellitus
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Metabolic disease
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Traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia
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Major trauma other than traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia
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Learning difficulties
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Psychosis
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Psychoneurosis
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Personality disorder
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Dementia
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Behavioural disorder
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Alcohol and drug abuse
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Hyperkinetic syndrome
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Renal disorders
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Inflammatory bowel disease
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Bowel and stomach disease
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Blood disorders
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Haemophilia
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Multi-system disorders
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Multiple allergy syndrome
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Skin disease
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Malignant disease
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Severely mentally impaired
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Double amputee
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Deaf/blind
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Haemodialysis
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Frailty
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Total parenteral autrition
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AIDS
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Infectious diseases: Viral disease – coronavirus Covid-19
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Infectious diseases: Viral disease – precise diagnosis not specified
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Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – tuberculosis
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Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – precise diagnosis not specified
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Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – malaria
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Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – other/precise diagnosis not specified
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Infectious diseases – other/precise diagnosis not specified
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Cognitive disorder – other/precise diagnosis not specified
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Terminally ill
If you think you qualify you can apply for Attendance Allowance online via GOV.UK or by sending the Attendance Allowance claim form to Freepost, DWP Attendance Allowance. You can contact the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 for more information.
