What Medical Conditions Qualify For Attendance Allowance? Check If You’re Eligible
Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
This article was reviewed by Sara Chapin, Director of Finance at Lottie, on 16th December 2024, to ensure accurate and trustworthy information for care seekers. Sara Chapin has been a Certified Public Accountant with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy since 2017. Next review due December 2025.
Attendance Allowance can be claimed by men and women who have reached the UK State Pension age, but only certain medical conditions could make you eligible. If eligible, you’ll be able to claim £108.55 or £72.65 per week for the 2024/25 tax year, depending on how much help you need.
You can claim Attendance Allowance for 57 different medical conditions. Some of these conditions include chronic pain, mobility issues, visual or hearing impairments, neurological disorders and cognitive disorders (such as a form of dementia like Alzheimer's).
Below, we've listed every health condition that you might claim Attendance Allowance for - and shared the steps on how to make a claim.
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In this article:
- What medical conditions qualify for Attendance Allowance?
- Full list of the medical conditions that qualify for Attendance Allowance
- Check if you’re eligible
- Other benefits you can claim
- Attendance Allowance claim form
- Other ways to apply
What Medical Conditions Qualify For Attendance Allowance?
There are 57 medical conditions that qualify for Attendance Allowance, covering a wide range of disabilities and illnesses. These can be grouped into different categories, such as:
- Sight and hearing impairments
- Mobility issues
- Neurological conditions (such as Parkinson's disease)
- Cognitive impairments (such as a form of dementia like Alzheimer's)
For detailed information about how to claim, how long the form will take to complete and whether your application has been successful or not, download our Attendance Allowance guide, written by our Lead Care Expert Hannah Karim.
Full List of Medical Conditions That Qualify For Attendance Allowance For In 2024
Here are the 57 medical conditions you can claim Attendance Allowance for - provided you meet all other requirements - along with the number of people who already claim the benefit through this particular condition (as of February 2024):
| Medical Condition | How Many People Have Claimed For It? (As of February 2024) | Percentage of all Claims |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis | 482,869 | 28.07% |
| Dementia | 202,293 | 11.76% |
| Heart disease | 124,066 | 7.21% |
| Unknown | 123,094 | 7.16% |
| Respiratory disorders and diseases | 101,737 | 5.91% |
| Disease of the muscles, bones or joints | 86,578 | 5.03% |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 78,069 | 4.54% |
| Back pain - other / precise diagnosis not specified | 73,658 | 4.28% |
| Malignant disease | 58,925 | 3.43% |
| Visual disorders and diseases | 52,405 | 3.05% |
| Terminally ill | 47,644 | 2.77% |
| Parkinson's disease | 46,000 | 2.67% |
| Neurological diseases | 35,652 | 2.07% |
| Cognitive disorder - other / precise diagnosis not specified | 23,946 | 1.39% |
| Trauma to limbs | 21,587 | 1.25% |
| Diabetes mellitus | 20,629 | 1.19% |
| Renal disorders | 19,252 | 1.12% |
| Spondylosis | 19,131 | 1.11% |
| Psychosis | 16,135 | 0.94% |
| Psychoneurosis | 11,849 | 0.69% |
| Hearing disorders | 9,656 | 0.56% |
| Multi-system disorders | 8,460 | 0.49% |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 7,471 | 0.43% |
| Bowel and stomach disease | 6,868 | 0.39% |
| Asthma | 6,525 | 0.38% |
| Chronic pain syndromes | 5,491 | 0.32% |
| Frailty | 4,076 | 0.24% |
| Skin disease | 3,481 | 0.20% |
| Epilepsy | 3,437 | 0.19% |
| Multiple sclerosis | 3,378 | 0.19% |
| Inflammatory bowel disease | 2,342 | 0.14% |
| Alcohol and drug abuse | 2,292 | 0.13% |
| Major trauma other than traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia | 2,005 | 0.12% |
| Metabolic disease | 1,926 | 0.11% |
| Blood disorders | 1,581 | 0.09% |
| Learning difficulties | 1,509 | 0.09% |
| Infectious diseases: Viral disease - Coronavirus covid-19 | 939 | 0.06% |
| Motor neurone disease | 731 | 0.04% |
| Behavioural disorder | 659 | 0.04% |
| Traumatic paraplegia/tetraplegia | 593 | 0.03% |
| Hemodialysis | 291 | 0.02% |
| Personality disorder | 222 | 0.01% |
| Infectious diseases - other / precise diagnosis not specified | 141 | 0.008% |
| Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease - tuberculosis | 125 | 0.007% |
| AIDS | 123 | 0.007% |
| Haemophilia | 118 | 0.007% |
| Cystic fibrosis | 99 | 0.006% |
| Multiple allergy syndrome | 76 | 0.004% |
| Infectious diseases: Viral disease - precise diagnosis not specified | 49 | 0.003% |
| Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease - precise diagnosis not specified | 43 | 0.003% |
| Hyperkinetic syndrome | 17 | 0.001% |
| Deaf/blind | 6 | 0.0003% |
| Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease - other / precise diagnosis not specified | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease - malaria | N/A | N/A |
| Double amputee | N/A | N/A |
| Total parenteral nutrition | N/A | N/A |
| Severely mentally impaired | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 1,720,248 |
Source: Stat-Xplore - AA Cases with entitlement - Data from May 2018 to February 2024
To be eligible, you’ll likely have one of the above conditions, and will also meet the criteria we’ve discussed below.
You can claim Attendance Allowance in a care home if you pay for your own care, and we’re here to help you find the right home for you or your loved one. You can request a free list of homes from our care experts, who will then share homes matching your budget, location and type of care needed. You can also search for a care home through our easy-to-use directory.
Check If You’re Eligible For Attendance Allowance
To be eligible for Attendance Allowance, you need to have a physical or mental disability. You’ll need care and support or supervision as a result of this disability, and you’ll have needed this support for at least six months.
You also need to have reached the State Pension age - this is currently 66 for men and women in the UK.
To be eligible for the lower rate (£72.65 a week), you’ll require regular help or constant supervision during the day, or some supervision at night. To be eligible for the higher rate (£108.55 a week), you’ll require help or supervision throughout the day and at night (or a medical professional has said you may have six months or less to live). You'll have needed help for at least six months.
People living in a care home often claim Attendance Allowance. You can claim Attendance Allowance in a care home if you pay for your own care, but not if the local authority pays for your care.
The number of different medical conditions above means a large number of people are eligible for this pensioner benefit in the UK. According to the DWP, just over 1,700,000 in the UK currently claim it. Many people don’t claim though - or they claim the lower rate when they’re actually eligible for the higher rate (there are two different Attendance Allowance rates).
Not being specific enough about your condition and how it affects you is one of the most common Attendance Allowance pitfalls - and the reason why many applications are rejected or wrongly categorised.
It was estimated by the National Audit Office that around £230 million was unclaimed because claimants don’t know which rate they’re eligible for.
Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are gradually replacing Disability Living Allowance, depending on whether you're above or below the State Pension age.
Other Benefits You Can Claim With Attendance Allowance
If you already receive Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment, you can’t receive Attendance Allowance.
By signing up for Attendance Allowance, other benefits you receive may get a boost, such as Pension Credit or Housing Benefit. You could also get a council tax reduction.
Attendance Allowance Claim Form
You can apply by filling in the Attendance Allowance claim form and sending this off via post.
In this form, you’ll need to provide detailed information regarding your medical condition, including any medical professionals you’ve seen about it and any relevant evidence you have, such as a doctor’s report. Before filling it in, you’ll also need your hospital record number, the name and address of your GP, and medication details.
Send the completed form to:
Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance
Using the above link, you can download, fill in and print out the claim form. Alternatively, you can print off the form and fill it in by hand.
To make applying easier and to learn the information you'll need to provide, download our Attendance Allowance checklist, written by our Lead Care Expert Hannah Karim.
Other Ways To Apply
To make a claim, you have to fill out and post the above form.
For more information or advice, you can call the Attendance Allowance helpline:
- Telephone - 0800 731 0122
- Textphone - 0800 731 0317
You can also contact your nearest Citizens Advice for help with filling out the form.
Similarly, organisations such as Age UK and Macmillan Cancer Support may be able to offer help with filling out the form.
Lottie matches care seekers with the best care homes for their needs. You can request a free list of homes from our care experts, who will share homes that match your budget, location and type of care needed. You can also search for a care home through our easy-to-use directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions automatically qualify you for Attendance Allowance?
There are no conditions that automatically qualify you for Attendance Allowance. Instead, you need to have required care or supervision for at least six months because of this condition or disability. You can also apply without your condition being formally diagnosed.
Do you need medical evidence for Attendance Allowance?
You can claim Attendance Allowance without having a formal diagnosis, though you may be medically examined before having your claim approved.
The main thing is that you’ve required help or supervision - or have had difficulties - for at least six months because of your condition. The only exception is if you’re terminally ill.
When applying, you’ll need to provide documentation such as your National Insurance number, driving licence, passport or birth certificate.
Do you need a doctor’s letter to claim Attendance Allowance?
You don’t need a doctor’s letter or a precise diagnosis to apply for and claim Attendance Allowance. What’s important is that you’ve experienced difficulties or required assistance for at least six months because of your condition.
However, when applying, being able to provide evidence such as a doctor’s letter may make your claim more likely to be approved.
What is Question 44 on the Attendance Allowance form?
Question 44 on the Attendance Allowance claim form is used to tell the assessors anything else you think they should know. In this space, you should mention any important details that you weren’t able to mention elsewhere. Providing all relevant information will give your claim a better chance of being approved.
Does osteoarthritis qualify for Attendance Allowance?
You may be eligible for Attendance Allowance if you have a form of arthritis - such as osteoarthritis - which affects your spine and causes pain across your joints, along with limited mobility and flexibility. You may have to adjust your position every few hours because of this arthritis. You might also be eligible if you experience pain in your back, muscles or elsewhere.
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