Overview

• Attendance Allowance in England and Wales, or Pension Age Disability Payment in Scotland, is paid separately from the State Pension and is not means-tested, with typical four‑weekly payments of £295.60 or £441.60.
• When combined with the full New State Pension of £11,973 a year, payments can take an eligible pensioner’s annual income to about £17,713 in separate benefits.
• Eligibility generally requires being over State Pension age and needing help or supervision due to a long‑term condition, with no mobility component, and the payment is tax‑free and disregarded for Pension Credit calculations.
• The DWP says more than 700,000 people likely qualify for Pension Credit, which tops income to at least £227.10 a week for single pensioners or £346.60 for couples and averages around £4,300 a year, while over one million may be eligible for Attendance Allowance.
• Scotland now routes new claims through Social Security Scotland as PADP, and a wide range of conditions such as back pain, arthritis, dementia and neurological diseases are commonly supported, with guidance available on GOV.UK and mygov.scot.