Particle.news
Download on the App Store

DWP Sets Out 56 Qualifying Conditions as Attendance Allowance Reaches 1.86 Million Claims

The non-means-tested benefit pays £73.90 or £110.40 a week to pension-age people who need help with personal care.

Overview

  • Official DWP figures show 1,859,539 cases of Attendance Allowance entitlement in February 2025, following an April uprating of about 1.7%.
  • The department’s dataset lists 56 main disabling conditions for classification, with arthritis the largest category at 533,990 cases.
  • Payments are made every four weeks at £295.60 for the lower rate or £441.60 for the higher rate, and they are tax-free and not affected by savings or income.
  • People over State Pension age in Scotland must apply for the devolved Pension Age Disability Payment rather than Attendance Allowance.
  • Claimants must report changes in circumstances, which can increase awards from the lower to the higher rate by about £146 a month, including if care needs rise or after hospital stays.