Attendance Allowance Calculator

Estimate the 2026/27 Attendance Allowance amount, four-week payment value and annual equivalent, while checking the main age, care, region and benefit-route limits.

Check The Claim Scenario

Rate year Current official weekly rates are included for 2026/27 and the prior year. Where the person lives Scotland has Pension Age Disability Payment rather than new Attendance Allowance claims. State Pension age reached? Attendance Allowance is for people who have reached State Pension age. Care or supervision pattern Pick the closest daily-life pattern, not the diagnosis name. Needed help for 6 months? The waiting rule does not apply in the same way under end-of-life special rules. End-of-life special rules? GOV.UK describes a faster route and higher rate where the rules apply. Already getting a disability benefit? DLA, PIP, Adult Disability Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance or AFIP can block Attendance Allowance. Care home position Local authority-funded care home stays can affect payment. Weeks to compare Use 52 for a year, or a shorter period for a claim-planning note.weeks Delay before claiming Shows the possible value of waiting, if an award were made from the claim date.weeks

This is a benefit planning estimate, not a DWP, Department for Communities or Social Security Scotland decision. Do not enter a real name or National Insurance number.

Estimated Amount

Status

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Choose the scenario to estimate weekly and yearly amounts.

What This Result Means

Share the estimate only with someone you trust to help with benefit paperwork.

What The Estimate Can And Cannot Decide

Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people who have reached State Pension age and need personal care or supervision because of a disability or health condition. It is not means-tested, so the weekly rate is not reduced by income or savings. This calculator estimates the payment amount and flags common route issues, such as Scotland using Pension Age Disability Payment, existing disability benefits, the six-month care condition and care-home funding.

The calculator cannot decide entitlement. DWP or, in Northern Ireland, the Department for Communities makes the decision after a claim. The result should be used as a planning note: what rate may match the care pattern, what four-week payment could look like, which official route to check and what paperwork to gather before starting the form.

2026/27 Attendance Allowance Rates

Rate Year	Lower Weekly Rate	Higher Weekly Rate	Official Use
2026/27	£76.70	£114.60	Confirmed DWP weekly rates from April 2026.
2025/26	£73.90	£110.40	Prior weekly rates for letters or backdated comparisons.

Four-week payment = weekly rate x 4 Monthly average = weekly rate x 52 / 12 Annual equivalent = weekly rate x 52 Delay value = weekly rate x weeks delayed

Attendance Allowance is commonly shown as a weekly amount, but award letters and bank statements may make more sense when translated into four-week, monthly-average and yearly values. The monthly figure is an average across a year, not a promise that payment arrives every calendar month. Always follow the payment dates shown on the award letter.

How The Rate Is Chosen

The lower rate generally links to needing help or supervision during the day only, during the night only, or having someone with the person during dialysis. The higher rate generally links to needing help or supervision during both day and night, or qualifying under end-of-life special rules. The decision is about the help needed, not simply the medical diagnosis. A person can qualify even if nobody is currently giving the help, provided the need is present and the rules are met.

The six-month condition matters for ordinary claims: GOV.UK says the person must have needed the help for at least six months. End-of-life rules are different and can lead to a faster claim and the higher rate. If the person already receives PIP, DLA, Adult Disability Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance or Armed Forces Independence Payment, check the official rules because Attendance Allowance is not normally paid on top of those benefits.

Region And Claim Route Table

Where The Person Lives	Main Route	What To Check Before Claiming
England	Attendance Allowance through GOV.UK or by post.	State Pension age, care or supervision need, six-month rule, other disability benefits, care-home funding.
Wales	Attendance Allowance through GOV.UK or by post.	Same DWP route as England; local welfare advice may help with the claim form.
Northern Ireland	Attendance Allowance through nidirect and the Department for Communities.	Rates match the current weekly amounts, but claim routes and offices differ.
Scotland	Pension Age Disability Payment through Social Security Scotland.	New claims use the Scottish benefit. Existing Attendance Allowance awards have been moving to the Scottish payment.

Claim Preparation Checklist

Care Examples

Write what help is needed with washing, dressing, eating, medication, night-time supervision, safety, communication or getting to the toilet. Use real days, not just condition names.

Dates And Six Months

Note when the care or supervision need started. If special rules may apply, ask the relevant health professional or benefits service about the right evidence route.

Health Contacts

Gather GP surgery details, hospital clinic names, care provider details and any recent letters. GOV.UK lists these as claim information that may be needed.

Other Benefits

Check PIP, DLA, Adult Disability Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance or Armed Forces Independence Payment before treating an estimate as payable.

Care Home And Other Benefit Effects

Care-home funding can change payment. GOV.UK says a person cannot usually get Attendance Allowance if they live in a care home and their care is paid for by a local authority. A self-funder may still be able to claim. The calculator flags this because it is one of the easiest ways to overstate a payment estimate. Hospital, hospice and temporary care situations can also have rules that need official checking.

An award can also affect other benefit checks. Attendance Allowance may help open the door to extra amounts in some means-tested benefits, but it can interact with carers’ benefits and household circumstances. Because those effects depend on the full household picture, this page does not calculate Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax support. Use the result as a prompt to ask a benefits adviser for a full check.

Worked Examples

Daytime Help

A person over State Pension age needs frequent help with washing, dressing and meals during the day, has needed that help for more than six months, and is not receiving another disability benefit. The calculator points to the lower rate: £76.70 a week in 2026/27, or £306.80 every four weeks.

Day And Night Supervision

A person needs supervision during the day and also needs attention or supervision at night. If the other claim rules are met, the estimate points to the higher rate: £114.60 a week in 2026/27, or £459.20 every four weeks.

Scotland Route

A person living in Scotland should not treat a new Attendance Allowance estimate as the application route. Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance in Scotland, so Social Security Scotland guidance should be checked.

FAQs

Is Attendance Allowance affected by income or savings?

No. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested and is tax-free. Income, savings and National Insurance contributions do not set the weekly rate. However, other benefits in the household can still be affected by a new award, so a full benefits check is sensible after any decision.

Can someone claim if nobody currently helps them?

Yes, the official guidance focuses on the help or supervision the person needs, not only the help they already receive. The claim form should describe the real need, including risks, prompting, supervision and personal care tasks. Good examples are often more useful than a list of diagnoses alone.

What is the difference between lower and higher rate?

The lower rate generally applies where help or supervision is needed during the day or at night. The higher rate generally applies where help or supervision is needed during both day and night, or where end-of-life special rules apply. DWP or the Department for Communities decides after reviewing the claim.

Can a person in a care home get Attendance Allowance?

A self-funding care-home resident may still be able to claim. GOV.UK says a person usually cannot get Attendance Allowance if they live in a care home and their care is paid for by a local authority. Funding details matter, so check the official route before relying on the estimate.

What happens in Scotland?

Scotland has Pension Age Disability Payment, which is replacing Attendance Allowance. A person living in Scotland should check mygov.scot and Social Security Scotland rather than starting from the England and Wales DWP route. Existing awards have been moving to the Scottish payment.

Can the claim be backdated?

Attendance Allowance is normally linked to the claim date, not to the date the condition began. GOV.UK says an online claim starts on the date it is made, while a phone request for a form can protect the date of the call if the form is returned within the stated time. Check the current claim guidance before delaying.

Sources

Department for Work and Pensions. (2026). Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-and-pension-rates-2026-to-2027
Department for Work and Pensions. (n.d.). Attendance Allowance: Eligibility. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/eligibility
Department for Work and Pensions. (n.d.). Attendance Allowance: What You’ll Get. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/what-youll-get
Department for Work and Pensions. (n.d.). Attendance Allowance: How To Claim. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/how-to-claim
Department for Communities. (n.d.). Attendance Allowance. nidirect. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/attendance-allowance
Scottish Government. (n.d.). Pension Age Disability Payment. mygov.scot. https://www.mygov.scot/pension-age-disability-payment