More than one million pensioners could be missing out on a £441 monthly boost from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), despite living with health conditions that mean they qualify for extra support. Attendance Allowance, designed to help older people with their care needs, is set to rise again in April, yet billions of pounds could be going unclaimed. 

More than 1.7million people aged 66 and over are currently receiving the payment, but many more could qualify. Research by Policy in Practice suggests that up to 1.1million pensioners were not claiming support in 2023, leaving an estimated £5.2billion unpaid. Experts believe a lack of awareness is the key reason behind the shortfall.

Caroline Abrahams CBE, charity director at Age UK, said: “If you’re an older person living with a disability or serious health condition, you may be entitled to extra financial support to help you stay independent at home.

“Attendance Allowance is there to fund some of the extra costs that come along if you are an older person living with disability. For example, if you are successful in your claim, you could use Attendance Allowance to help with the extra costs of heating that many disabled people face or to meet the cost of a taxi to take you to a hospital appointment, or to visit a friend.”

As many as 56 medical conditions may make a person eligible to claim, and we’ve compiled the list.

To claim Attendance Allowance, people must be over the state pension age (currently 66) and have a disability or illness that impacts their daily life.

This can include conditions such as learning difficulties, sight or hearing impairments, mobility issues like arthritis, or mental health conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Applicants must be able to show they need assistance with personal care tasks, such as washing, dressing, eating and drinking, or require supervision for safety, either during the day or night.

They must also have needed help for at least six months. However, those who are terminally ill can claim the benefit immediately.

A formal diagnosis is not required to apply – as long as someone has experienced difficulties for six months due to their condition, they can claim.

However, it is important to note that those already receiving Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment, or the care component of Disability Living Allowance are not eligible for Attendance Allowance.

The benefit is tax-free and is not means-tested, so current savings or income will not affect the claim, nor will it affect other benefits received.

The list of 56 conditions that mean someone qualifies for Attendance Allowance includes:

• Arthritis
• Spondylosis
• Back pain: other/precise diagnosis not specified
• Disease of the muscles, bones or joints
• Trauma to limbs
• Blindness
• Deafness
• Heart disease
• Chest disease
• Asthma
• Cystic fibrosis
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Epilepsy
• Neurological diseases
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Motor neurone disease
• Chronic pain syndromes
• Diabetes mellitus
• Metabolic disease
• Traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia
• Major trauma other than traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia
• Learning difficulties
• Psychosis
• Psychoneurosis
• Personality disorder
• Dementia
• Behavioural disorder
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Hyperkinetic syndrome
• Renal disorders
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Bowel and stomach disease
• Blood disorders
• Haemophilia
• Multi-system disorders
• Multiple allergy syndrome
• Skin disease
• Malignant disease
• Severely mentally impaired
• Double amputee
• Deaf/blind
• Haemodialysis
• Frailty
• Total parenteral nutrition
• AIDS
• Infectious diseases: Viral disease – coronavirus Covid-19
• Infectious diseases: Viral disease – precise diagnosis not specified
• Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – tuberculosis
• Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease – precise diagnosis not specified
• Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – malaria
• Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease – other/precise diagnosis not specified
• Infectious diseases: other/precise diagnosis not specified
• Cognitive disorder: other/precise diagnosis not specified
• Terminally ill

Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates: the higher and the lower.

The payment rate people qualify for is based on how much help is needed, not any current help the person does or does not get.

The lower rate is £73.90 per week, and people may qualify for it if they need frequent help or supervision during the day or at night.

The higher rate is £110.40 per week, and people may qualify for it if they need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said they’re nearing the end of their life.

Those entitled to the highest rate can receive about £441.60 per month, or around £5,300 per year.

During the last Autumn Statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that most benefits will rise by 3.8% in April, in line with last September’s inflation rate.

Subsequently, the new higher and lower Attendance Allowance payment rates in April 2026 will be:

• Lower rate: £76.70 (up from £73.90)
• Higher rate: £114.60 per week (up from £110.40).

This means that, after April, those entitled to the higher rate will receive about £458.40 per month, or £5,500 per year.

People can claim Attendance Allowance online or by post.

To claim Attendance Allowance by post, people must complete a form detailing the help they need and the assistance they do not need.

To get a form, people can either call the helpline on 0800 731 0122 or download it from the Government website here.

Morgan Vine, director of policy and influencing at Independent Age, said: “Attendance Allowance is a vital financial entitlement for people of state pension age and over who need help with care needs or regular supervision.

“It is not means-tested, so you can apply whatever your income or savings are, and it can be worth at least £73.90 a week if you’re eligible.

“If you think you could be entitled to Attendance Allowance, Independent Age can help you access it. You can call our free helpline on 0800 319 6789 to arrange a call with one of our friendly advisers.

“You can also find out more online at independentage.org. This is money already set aside for those who need it, so if you think you might be eligible, there is no harm in checking.”

Some people miss out on Attendance Allowance because of common myths that make them think they don’t qualify, or put them off the claims process. Age UK’s Caroline Abrahams CBE compiled six of them.

“My claim was turned down, so there’s no point in applying again.”