Relax and read our top 10 tips for filling in the Attendance Allowance form
Do you need help with your day-to-day activities? Are you finding it hard to look after yourself? You might be eligible for Attendance Allowance.
However, before we get into how you can best fill in the Attendance Allowance form, let’s have a look at what Attendance Allowance actually is.
What is Attendance Allowance?
The Attendance Allowance is available to anyone that has reached state pension age with physical or mental disabilities and who needs help with washing, dressing, eating or any other daily activities. The Attendance Allowance essentially helps with extra financial costs if you need someone to help look after you. You are also eligible for attendance allowance if you pay for your care in a care home.
If you are looking to claim Attendance Allowance and need help with filling in the Attendance Allowance form, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide that will guide you through the entire process.
In this guide, we cover the following questions about how to fill in the Attendance Allowance form:
How do I get the Attendance Allowance claim form?
What care needs do I need to have to be eligible for Attendance Allowance?
How much detail should I go into on the Attendance Allowance form?
Does a supporting statement help?
Who needs to sign the form?
Where to send the form and next steps...
Our step-by-step guide for filling in the Attendance Allowance form:
1. How do I get the Attendance Allowance claim form?
To claim the Attendance Allowance, you need to fill in an AA1 Attendance Allowance application form. You should complete the AA1 Attendance Allowance form at your earliest convenience, even if you're still living in your own home. You can get the Attendance Allowance claim form by requesting one over the phone or by printing one out from gov.uk
Open the printable claim form to see the completion notes. If you fill in the online version of the form, you’ll also need to open the printable claim form from gov.uk as the notes for filling in the Attendance Allowance form are provided on this version.
2. Get the right form and Attendance Allowance pack format for you.
You can request the Attendance Allowance form in large print or braille or ask for an interpreter. Attendance Allowance packs are also available in large print or braille. Interpreters can also be organised if you need one.
Call: 0800 731 0122 or text: 0845 604 5312
Mondays to Fridays: 8AM - 6PM
3. What if I make a mistake on the Attendance Allowance form?
Don’t worry about making a mistake on the form. It’s OK to cross something out.
4. What care needs do I need to have to be eligible for Attendance Allowance?
When completing the form, don’t underestimate your needs. Be realistic and note the amount of help needed on bad days, as well as on good ones. Below is a list of a few things you may need help with and need to consider when completing the Attendance Allowance claim form:
Washing: do you need help getting in and out of the bath or shower, washing your hair or shaving?
Going to the toilet: do you need help going to the toilet during the day or night? Do you suffer from incontinence? Might you need help with changing beds?
Getting dressed or undressed: do you need help with this?
Mealtimes: do you need any help with eating or drinking? Do you have difficulty operating the oven, opening cans or doing other things in the kitchen?
Medical treatment: do you understand which medication to take and when? Can you operate medical devices (such as a hearing aid) or safely manage any conditions or illnesses (such as diabetes) by yourself?
Getting around indoors: do you need help navigating from room to room, getting in and out of bed? Do you need aids and adaptations, such as a bed-raiser, a raised toilet seat; shower seat or a walking frame?
Communicating: if you have poor eyesight, do you need help reading your post? If you’re deaf, can you hear the doorbell?
Supervision: are you in danger of falling? Do you need someone to watch over you in case you have a seizure or a fall? Do you feel you might be in danger if no one is there to support you?
5. How much detail should I go into on the Attendance Allowance form?
Give as much detail as you can in each section, with examples. It’s also important to describe how another person helps you – or could help you. This is a key reason to qualify for Attendance Allowance.
6. Giving consent for DWP to contact my GP or others involved in my case
You may be asked to give your consent for the Department for Work and Pensions to contact your GP or the people or organisations involved with looking after you. While you don’t have to agree to this, it might result in the benefit not being made available if you don’t.
7. Consider a supporting statement
It’s worth asking someone to write a statement as it helps reinforce your case. It could be a friend, a relative or a professional person, such as a doctor. If that person understands the rules of the allowance, it will be even better, as they will know what relevant information to include.
8. Who needs to sign the form?
You must sign the form yourself, so if someone has been helping you to fill in the form, you should read it through before signing. The exceptions to this rule include if the person filling in the form holds a Power of Attorney, or there are other reasons you can’t sign, such as a mental health problem.
9. Where do I send my completed Attendance Allowance form?
Post the form rather than email it. Don’t email the completed form as it won’t be accepted - you’ll need to post it to the address given on the form.
10. What happens next?
Once the application has been received, you might also be asked to attend a medical assessment to check your eligibility, which can be at your home if getting to the assessment is difficult for you.
If possible, take someone who cares for you, such as a family member or friend, to the meeting in case anything isn’t clear. At the assessment, you’ll need to provide identification, which could be a: passport, birth certificate, driving licence, life assurance policy or a bank statement.
If you are eligible and want to apply, you need to fill in an AA1 Attendance Allowance application form. You can request a form over the phone or print one out from www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance.
These tips were revised in June 2021 and correct at the time of publication.
