How do you claim Attendance Allowance step by step?

This guide is for people aged 65 or over who think they may qualify for Attendance Allowance, and for family members helping a parent or relative apply. By the time you've read it, you'll know exactly how to get the form, how to fill it in well, and what to expect once it's posted. If you're still not sure whether you qualify, read our guide to Attendance Allowance eligibility first, then come back here.

The short version: you fill in a form called the AA1, post it to the DWP's Attendance Allowance Unit, and the date you post it is the date your claim starts. That last point matters more than most people realise.

---

Step 1: Check you meet the basic eligibility criteria

Attendance Allowance is for people aged 65 and over who have a physical or mental disability and need help with personal care or supervision because of it. You don't have to have a carer or live with someone. The DWP is asking whether you need that help, not whether you're currently receiving it.

You also need to have had those care needs for at least six months, unless you are terminally ill, in which case different rules apply and the process is faster.

One thing worth knowing: there's no means test. Your income, savings and whether you own your home make no difference to your eligibility. According to Age UK, around 1.6 million people in Great Britain currently receive Attendance Allowance, but take-up remains well below the number who are entitled. If you're in any doubt, it costs nothing to apply.

---

Step 2: Get the AA1 claim form

The quickest way to start your claim is to phone the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 (textphone 0800 731 0317, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). The DWP will post you the form, which arrives in about a week.

You can also download the AA1 form from GOV.UK and print it yourself. Bear in mind it runs to around 40 pages, it looks daunting, but most of those pages are guidance notes or sections that won't apply to you.

---

Step 3: Complete Part 1: your personal details

Part 1 is the straightforward section: your name, address, date of birth, National Insurance number, and your GP's details. Fill this in carefully and check it against your NHS letter or prescription so the details match what the DWP holds.

If your GP surgery has changed recently, use the current one. If you have a specialist consultant (a rheumatologist, a neurologist, a cardiologist), add their details too. The DWP may write to them for information.

---

Step 4: Complete Part 2: how your condition affects you

This is the section that decides your award, and it's where most people undersell themselves.

The form asks about bathing, dressing, eating, taking medication, moving around the home, going to the toilet, and staying safe. For each area, it asks whether you can do it at all, whether you need someone to help you, and whether you need supervision (which means someone watching over you to prevent an accident, even if they don't physically assist).

Write about your worst days, not your best. The DWP's own guidance says assessors should consider your needs on the days when your condition is at its worst, as long as those days are representative and not extremely rare. If your arthritis means some mornings you cannot fasten your own buttons, say that. If your breathlessness means you need to rest mid-task and someone needs to be nearby, say that.

I remember working with a woman in Salford who'd been declined twice because she kept writing things like "I manage, but slowly." What she meant was that getting dressed took her forty-five minutes, she had to stop twice to catch her breath, and she'd had two falls in the bathroom that year. When she wrote that instead, she was awarded the higher rate.

Be specific. "I have difficulty washing" is weak. "I cannot wash below my knees or reach my back without help, and I need someone to steady me getting in and out of the bath" is what the form is looking for.

The form distinguishes between day care needs and night care needs. If you need help or supervision at night, even occasionally, fill in the night section. Qualifying for both day and night care needs means you receive the higher rate (£108.55 per week from April 2025; the lower rate for day care only is £72.65 per week, according to GOV.UK).

---

Step 5: Gather supporting evidence

You don't have to send evidence, and the DWP will sometimes contact your GP or consultant directly. But attaching supporting letters or a recent GP summary report can speed things up and strengthen your case.

Useful documents to include:

• A letter from a hospital consultant or specialist nurse confirming your diagnosis and limitations
• A list of your current medications (a repeat prescription printout works fine)
• A care plan from the council, if one exists
• A brief supporting letter from a district nurse, occupational therapist or physiotherapist

Keep copies of everything you send. The Royal Mail "Signed For" service costs about £1.50 extra and gives you proof of delivery. Worth it.

If you're helping a relative complete the form, you can also write a brief covering letter yourself explaining what you observe on a daily basis. The DWP accepts this kind of supplementary note.

---

Step 6: Post the form and note the date

Before you seal the envelope, photocopy every completed page of the form. Then post it to:

Attendance Allowance Unit Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 2AD

Note the date you post it. If you requested the form by phone, the DWP should honour the date of that call as your claim start date, provided the form arrives within the four-week window. If it's going to be close, call the helpline and let them know it's on its way.

---

Step 7: Wait for the decision and respond if needed

The DWP aims to make a decision within 40 working days of receiving your form, though in my experience it can be faster or slower depending on whether they need to contact your GP. You'll receive a letter telling you whether you've been awarded, at which rate, and from which date.

If you're awarded Attendance Allowance, the payment goes directly into your bank account. It's paid every four weeks. It's not taxable, and it doesn't affect most other benefits. It can, in fact, open the door to Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction and Carer's Allowance for whoever looks after you, so it's worth letting the relevant offices know once you have the award letter.

If you're turned down, don't simply accept the decision. Around 50% of Attendance Allowance decisions challenged through mandatory reconsideration or tribunal are overturned, according to DWP tribunal statistics. Age UK and Citizens Advice both offer free help with appeals. Ask them before the one-month deadline passes.

---