Nearly 50 health conditions providing pensioners with up to £458 a month
Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment are worth up to £114. 60 a week for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care because of an illness or disability.
Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment are worth up to £114. 60 a week for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care because of an illness or disability. 11:24, 21 Jul 2026Pension Credit – Could you or someone you know be eligible?The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show at the end of November 2025, nearly 1. 7 million older people were receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance. Similar data from Social Security Scotland indicates 185,895 people aged over 66 are receiving cash help through the devolved benefit,Pension Age Disability Payment(PADP). Bothbenefitsprovide either £76. 70 or £114. 60 per week and as they are typically issued every four weeks, this amounts to either £306. 80 or £458. 40 every payment period. It's important to be aware Attendance Allowance and PADP are paid in arrears. How much someone receives depends on the level of support needed and the benefit is designed to help people ofState Pensionage with daily living expenses which can also help them stay independent in their own home for longer. There is no mobility component attached to Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance helps people with a disability, long-term illness, or mental or physical health condition. The most common condition being claimed isarthritis,which provides support for 503,389 people across Great Britain. Attendance Allowance heath conditionsThe figure below represents the 48 health conditions recorded by the DWP as part of the claims process:ArthritisSpondylosisBack Pain - Other / Precise Diagnosis not SpecifiedDisease Of The Muscles, Bones or JointsTrauma to LimbsVisual Disorders and DiseasesHearing DisordersHeart DiseaseRespiratory Disorders and DiseasesAsthmaCystic FibrosisCerebrovascular DiseasePeripheral vascular DiseaseEpilepsyNeurological DiseasesMultiple SclerosisParkinson'sMotor Neurone DiseaseChronic Pain SyndromesDiabetes MellitusMetabolic DiseaseTraumatic ParaplegiaMajor Trauma Other than Traumatic/ParaplegiaLearning DifficultiesPsychosisPsychoneurosisPersonality DisorderDementiaBehavioral DisorderAlcohol and Drug AbuseHyperkinetic SyndromeRenal DisordersInflammatory Bowel DiseaseBowel and Stomach DiseaseBlood DisordersHaemophiliaMulti System DisordersMultiple Allergy SyndromeSkin DiseaseMalignant DiseaseHaemodialysisFrailty -AIDSCoronavirus covid-19Viral disease - precise diagnosis not specifiedTuberculosisBacterial disease - precise diagnois not specifiedCognitive disorder (other)Who can claim?You should apply for Attendance Allowance or PADP if you have a disability or illness and need help or supervision throughout the day or at times during the night -even if you don’t currently get that help. This might include:Help with your personal care - for example getting dressed, eating or drinking, getting in and out of bed, bathing or showering and going to the toiletHelp to stay safeYou should also apply if you have difficulties with personal tasks, for example if they take you a long time, you experience pain or you need physical help, like a chair to lean on. Attendance Allowance isn’t just for people with a physical disability or illness. You should also claim if you need help or supervision throughout the day or night and have:a mental health conditionlearning difficultiesa sensory condition - if you are deaf or visually impairedPensioners in ScotlandPeople aged 66 and over should make a claim for Pension Age Disability Payment, which is administered and delivered by Social Security Scotland. Full details can be found onMYGOV. SCOT. How much could I get on Attendance Allowance?You could receive either £76. 70 (lower rate) or £114. 60 (higher rate) each week. You can spend the money however you like and it could help you stay independent in your own home for longer. This might include:paying for taxishelping towards billspaying for a cleaner or gardenerCan I claim Attendance Allowance even if I have savings and other income?Yes. Attendance Allowance isn't means-tested so it doesn't matter what other money you have coming in or how much you have in savings either - there's no limit. it is also tax-free and you will be exempt from the Benefit Cap so you won't have money taken away from any other benefits. Will Attendance Allowance affect my State Pension?No, it won't affect your State Pension and you can even claim it if you're still working and earning money. How does Attendance Allowance affect other benefits?The other benefits you get might increase if you get Attendance Allowance, these include:Extra Pension CreditHousing Benefit ReductionCouncil Tax ReductionHow do I make a claim?You will need to complete a long claim form when you apply forAttendance Allowance. It might seem daunting at first but help is available fromCitizens AdviceandIndependent Age. Full details of how to get the application form by post or over the phone can be found on theGOV. UK website here. What happens if I am about to reach State Pension age?If you are thinking about applying for Attendance Allowance when you reach State Pension age, you might be better offclaiming Personal Independence Payment(PIP) straight away - you may be able to get more money. Who cannot claim Attendance Allowance?You cannot claim Attendance Allowance if you live in Scotland, you will need to claim the new devolved benefit Pension Age Disability Payment instead. Full details can be found onMYGOV. SCOT. You won't be able to get Attendance Allowance if you already get PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to pay for your care. If you apply for Attendance Allowance while getting DLA, the DWP will usually reassess your DLA award instead. You can renew your PIP or DLA when the existing award ends as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria. If your renewal is unsuccessful you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead. Find out more about Attendance Allowance on the GOV. UK websitehere. Eligibility for Pension Age Disability PaymentGuidance on MYGOV. SCOT provides full details on who can claim, how to claim, additional help available, what happens after a claim is submitted and extra support for successful claimants. Find out morehere. You can apply for Pension Age Disability Payment if you have both:Reached State Pension ageHad care needs during the day or night for 6 months or more because of a disability or health conditionYou can still apply if:You have not had care needs for 6 months or more - your award will begin 6 months from when your care needs started if your application is successfulYou are waiting for, or do not have, a diagnosisYou have a terminal illness - there is a separate fast-track application process if you’re terminally illIt's important to be aware you cannot get Pension Age Disability Payment and Attendance Allowance at the same time. How to apply for the Pension Age Disability PaymentYou can apply for the devolved benefit online, by phone or post. Full details can be found on the MYGOV. SCOTwebsite. Get support making a claim from an independent advocateThe Social Security Independent Advocacy Service is funded by the Scottish Government. It was set up to ensure disabled people can understand and exercise their rights, participate fully in decisions and help them apply for vital support from Scotland’s devolved social security benefits. Advice Direct Scotland is the new provider of this service through their dedicated platformadvocacy. scot . You can contact Advice Direct Scotland with any queries by calling 0808 196 8901 or emailing support@advocacy. scot. Article continues belowSocial Security Scotland can also help you to apply for Pension Age Disability Payment - full details onMYGOV. SCOT.