Attendance Allowance
Definition: A welfare benefit paid by the Department of Work & Pensions, tax free and not means tested
Attendance Allowance (AA) is a welfare benefit paid by the Department for Work & Pensions. It is not means tested, is tax free, doesn’t depend on National Insurance contributions, and does not count as income for other benefits. There are no controls on how a recipient spends their allowance. It is paid to people aged 65 years and over, normally resident in the UK, who have certain personal care or supervision needs. Personal care means things like needing help with getting up, getting dressed, washed and toileting, but it doesn’t cover needing help with shopping or housework. The allowance is based on the help that is needed, not that given. Eligible people can be living alone or with another, regardless of whether they have a carer or not.
There are 2 conditions at least one of which must be met, for a claimant to be eligible for AA. These are:-
- Day Conditions
: people who need frequent help with personal care during the day, or who need continual supervision throughout the day
- Night Conditions
: people who need prolonged or repeated personal care help at night, or who need another person to be awake during much of the night to watch over them
There are 2 rates for AA, which are currently:
- Lower Rate
paid to people who meet either the day or night conditions
- Higher Rate
paid to people who meet both the day and night conditions.
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