Key Statistics at a Glance
- 1.86 million people claim Attendance Allowance in Great Britain
- +139,300 new claimants in the past year
- £114.60/week higher rate | £76.70/week lower rate
- ~64% of initial applications are rejected
- 3.8% rate increase from April 2026
- Tax-free and not means-tested
Summary:
There is 5.2 billion pounds of unclaimed Attendance Allowance every year due to the complexities of the application forms, or simply that the majority of pensioners are unaware the benefit actually exists
How Many People Claim Attendance Allowance in 2026?
According to the latest DWP Benefits Statistics (February 2026), there are 1.86 million Attendance Allowance claimants in Great Britain as of February 2025 — the most recent complete data available.
This makes Attendance Allowance the 4th largest benefit administered by the DWP, behind only State Pension, Universal Credit, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
| DWP Benefit | Claimants (Aug 2025) |
|---|---|
| State Pension | 13,212,000 |
| Universal Credit | 8,041,000 |
| Personal Independence Payment | 3,842,000 |
| Attendance Allowance | 1,744,000 (excl. Scotland) |
| Pension Credit | 1,390,000 |
| Carer’s Allowance | 1,376,000 |
Including the 92,000 cases where policy has been devolved to Scotland (Pension Age Disability Payment), the total reaches 1,837,000 claims administered by the DWP.
Year-on-Year Growth
Attendance Allowance claimant numbers have grown consistently every year. The most recent data shows:
| Period | Claimants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| August 2024 | 1,631,000 | — |
| February 2025 | 1,859,500 | +139,300 year-on-year |
| August 2025 | 1,744,000 | +113,000 year-on-year |
This growth reflects an ageing UK population and increased awareness of the benefit. However, many eligible people still do not claim — estimates suggest hundreds of thousands are missing out.
Attendance Allowance Rates 2026/27
From April 2026, Attendance Allowance pays:
| Rate | Per Week | Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Higher rate | £114.60 | £5,959.20 |
| Lower rate | £76.70 | £3,988.40 |
Rates increased by 3.8% in April 2026. For a full breakdown of rates, historical changes, and related benefits, see our complete rates guide for 2026/27.
Rejection Rates — Why So Many Claims Fail
Approximately 60% of Attendance Allowance applications are initially rejected. This high rejection rate is primarily due to:
- Insufficient detail on the claim form — vague answers like “I need help getting dressed” don’t provide enough evidence
- Underestimating needs — many people minimise their difficulties out of pride or habit
- Missing night-time needs — failing to describe help needed at night means missing the higher rate
- Not linking conditions to care — the form asks about care needs, not medical conditions
However, approximately 70% of appeals are successful when cases reach tribunal. This suggests many initial rejections are due to how the form is completed, not whether the person genuinely qualifies.
Professional support significantly improves outcomes. At Attendance Allowance Services, our HCPC-registered Occupational Therapists achieve a 99% success rate across 5,000+ claims — compared to the national average of approximately 40%.
Who Claims Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is available to anyone who has reached State Pension age (currently 66) and has a physical or mental health condition that means they need help with personal care or supervision. Key facts about claimants:
- Age: Must be State Pension age (66+). The average claimant is in their late 70s or 80s
- Gender: More women claim than men (reflecting longer life expectancy)
- Conditions: Arthritis, dementia, heart disease, COPD, and mobility difficulties are among the most common qualifying conditions
- No means test: Savings, income, and property ownership make no difference
- 7% suspended: Approximately 7% of people entitled to AA are not receiving payment (usually due to hospital admission)
Scotland: Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP)
Since 2022, Attendance Allowance in Scotland has been replaced by Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP), administered by Social Security Scotland. As of August 2025, there are 92,000 cases where AA policy has been devolved to Scotland. The rates are identical to AA.
Could you be one of the missing claimants?
With 1.86 million people already claiming and numbers growing every year, there are still hundreds of thousands of eligible people who haven’t applied. If you’re over 66 with any health condition affecting daily life, you may qualify.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are on Attendance Allowance in the UK?
As of the latest DWP data (February 2025), approximately 1.86 million people claim Attendance Allowance in Great Britain. This includes 1,744,000 under direct DWP policy and 92,000 where policy has been devolved to Scotland.
What percentage of Attendance Allowance claims are successful?
Approximately 40% of initial applications are successful. However, success rates vary significantly depending on how well the form is completed. Professional applications achieve much higher rates — for example, our success rate is 99%.
Is Attendance Allowance going up in 2026?
Yes. Attendance Allowance rates increased by 3.8% in April 2026. The higher rate went from £110.40 to £114.60 per week, and the lower rate from £73.90 to £76.70 per week.
How much does Attendance Allowance cost the government?
Based on current rates and claimant numbers, total annual DWP expenditure on Attendance Allowance is estimated at approximately £7.5 billion per year.
