The Short Answer
Attendance Allowance has no points system: the rate depends on whether you need help or supervision by day or by night (lower rate), or by day and night (higher rate). In 2026/27 the lower rate is £76.70 a week and the higher rate is £114.60 a week. You must have reached State Pension age, and you must usually have needed the help for at least 6 months. Under the special rules for end of life, the higher rate is paid straight away.
Key facts about Attendance Allowance, each with its source and the date it was checked.
| Fact | Figure | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower rate, 2026/27 | £76.70 a week | GOV.UK; DWP benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 | 30 September 2026 |
| Higher rate, 2026/27 | £114.60 a week | GOV.UK; DWP benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 | 30 September 2026 |
| Who can claim | People who have reached State Pension age | GOV.UK; SSCBA 1992, section 64 | 30 September 2026 |
| Qualifying period | Help needed for at least 6 months, except under the end-of-life rules | GOV.UK; SSCBA 1992, sections 65 and 66 | 30 September 2026 |
| Means test | None: earnings and savings do not count | GOV.UK | 30 September 2026 |
| Scotland | Pension Age Disability Payment instead | GOV.UK | 30 September 2026 |
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Is There an Attendance Allowance Points System?
No, Attendance Allowance has no points system: the DWP decides the rate from the help or supervision you need by day and at night. Section 65(3) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 pays the higher rate where both the day and night conditions are met, and the lower rate in any other case. Points belong to PIP, which scores 12 activities and adds a mobility component that Attendance Allowance does not have. The differences between the two benefits are set out in PIP vs Attendance Allowance.
How the Calculator Works Out Your Rate
The calculator applies the rules in the order the law does: State Pension age, where you live, any benefit already paid, the end-of-life rules, then the day and night conditions.
- It works out your State Pension age from your date of birth, using Schedule 4 to the Pensions Act 1995.
- It sends people in Scotland to Pension Age Disability Payment, as GOV.UK directs.
- It stops where PIP, DLA, Adult Disability Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment is already paid, because GOV.UK lists these as ruling Attendance Allowance out.
- It gives the higher rate under the special rules for end of life, which section 66 treats as meeting both conditions.
- It applies section 64 and section 65(3): one condition gives the lower rate, and both give the higher rate.
The two conditions come from section 64 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. The weekly amount for each rate is set out in Attendance Allowance rates.
| Condition | What the law requires | Rate on its own |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Frequent attention throughout the day with bodily functions, or continual supervision throughout the day to avoid substantial danger | Lower rate |
| Night | Prolonged or repeated attention with bodily functions, or another person awake for a prolonged period or at frequent intervals to watch over you | Lower rate |
| Day and night | Both conditions met | Higher rate |
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Who Can Get Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is for people who have reached State Pension age and have needed help with personal care, or supervision, for at least 6 months. GOV.UK adds that you must be in Great Britain when you claim and have lived here for at least 2 of the last 3 years. You also cannot already get PIP, DLA, Adult Disability Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment. You do not need a carer to claim. State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 for people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, so some people turning 66 in 2026 and 2027 reach it several months later. A PIP award already in payment carries on past that age, as explained in PIP at State Pension Age.
Under State Pension Age? Work Out Your PIP Instead
Under State Pension age, the benefit for care and mobility needs is PIP, which scores 12 activities and needs 8 points in a component for the standard rate. GOV.UK also allows a new PIP claim after State Pension age if you got PIP or Adult Disability Payment in the last 12 months. You can score each activity against the descriptors with the points calculator.