How to Fill In the Attendance Allowance Form

By · Published 2026-09-19 · Last reviewed 2026-09-19

A pile of mixed British pennies, 2p, 10p, 20p and pound coins.
Photo: wwarby, CC BY 2.0

Fill in the Attendance Allowance form by describing, in the blank boxes, the help or supervision the person needs with personal tasks such as washing, dressing, using the toilet and staying safe, by day and by night. Say how often, how long it takes and what goes wrong without help. Describe the need, not just the help they get now, and add medical evidence.

The Attendance Allowance form is long, but the part that decides the claim is the set of questions about care needs. Fill those in by describing, in your own words, what help or watching-over the person needs with personal tasks, how often, and what happens when nobody is there. Ticking the boxes is not enough: the written detail is what the decision maker relies on.

This article is about the form itself. It assumes you already know roughly what Attendance Allowance is and that your relative has reached State Pension age.

Which form do you need, and where do you get it?

It depends on where the person lives.

Why it is worth phoning for the paper form

GOV.UK explains that the date a claim starts depends on how you apply. Online, it is the day you submit the application. With a form you printed yourself, it is the day the DWP receives it. But if you phone the helpline and ask for a form, the claim starts on the date of that call, as long as the form is returned within 6 weeks. The same 6 week rule applies in Northern Ireland.

So a phone call today protects the start date while you take time to fill the form in properly.

What is the form really asking?

Most of the early pages are factual: name, National Insurance number, address, GP surgery, hospital stays, and details of any care home. Have those to hand before you start.

The heart of the form is a run of questions about care needs. Each covers one area of daily life, such as getting in and out of bed, washing and bathing, dressing, using the toilet, eating and drinking, taking medication, moving around indoors, communicating, and being safe when alone. There are separate questions about the night.

Two things matter here, and families often miss both.

It is about personal care and supervision, not housework. Help with shopping, cleaning, cooking a meal from scratch or gardening does not count. Help with the body and with staying safe does: washing, dressing, toileting, eating, medication, moving about, and someone keeping watch because of falls, confusion or wandering.

It is about the help the person needs, not the help they get. Someone who lives alone and struggles through the day without help can still qualify. As Age UK puts it, it is the care and supervision required that matters, not what is actually received. If your mother does not wash properly because nobody is there to help her, that is a need, and the form should say so.

GOV.UK describes the lower rate as being for people who need frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night, and the higher rate for people who need help or supervision throughout both day and night. So the form needs a clear picture of both. Night needs are very commonly left out.

How do you answer the care needs questions well?

Citizens Advice is blunt about this in its guide to the form: do not just tick the boxes or write a number. Use the blank box under each question, and add extra sheets if you run out of room. Put the person's name and National Insurance number on every extra sheet.

The person who decides the claim is not a medical expert and will not usually meet your relative. Do not assume they know what Parkinson's, heart failure or dementia means day to day. Spell it out.

For each task, try to cover:

A weak answer and a stronger one

For a question about washing and bathing, a weak answer is: "Needs help with showering."

A stronger answer is: "She cannot step over the side of the bath or stand unsupported for more than a minute because of arthritis in both knees and dizziness. Someone has to help her in and out of the shower, stay with her, and wash and dry her back, legs and feet. This happens every morning and takes about 30 minutes. She fell in the bathroom twice this year when she tried alone."

Good days and bad days

If the condition varies, say so, and say how often. Citizens Advice recommends explaining how many good and bad days there are in an average week and what help is needed on each. Do not describe only the best day, which is what many proud older people do, and do not describe only the worst. "Four days out of seven she cannot get out of bed without help" is more useful than "sometimes".

Aids and adaptations

The form asks about equipment such as grab rails, a walking frame, a commode or a pill dispenser. List them, then mention them again under the relevant task and say what help is still needed despite them. A stairlift does not help someone who cannot get on and off it safely alone.

Repeat yourself

If poor mobility affects getting to the toilet and also moving around indoors, say so under both questions. Each answer may be read on its own.

Should you keep a diary first?

Yes, if you can spare a week. Citizens Advice suggests keeping a record for about a week before filling in the form, noting each time help or supervision was needed, day and night, and how long it took. Families are often surprised by the total, because help given by a husband, wife or daughter has become invisible through habit.

A diary is especially useful for night needs, falls, and dementia, where the need is often supervision rather than physical help. You can send a copy with the form.

What evidence should you send?

You do not have to send evidence, but it helps. Useful things include:

Send copies, not originals. If you apply online, Citizens Advice notes that evidence can be posted afterwards.

The form also has a section for a statement from someone who knows the person. Citizens Advice advises that ideally a health professional completes this, such as a GP, nurse or consultant, but a relative, friend or carer can do it instead. Whoever writes it should focus on how the condition affects personal tasks and safety, not just name the diagnosis.

Can you fill in the form for your parent?

Yes. Anyone can help write the answers, and many adult children do all the writing. Citizens Advice explains that this is fine as long as the person can sign the form themselves.

If they cannot sign, for example because of advanced dementia, you need legal authority: being their DWP appointee, holding a power of attorney that covers their money and benefits, or being a court-appointed deputy. Citizens Advice says that if you are applying as someone's representative you need to use the paper form. If you have none of these in place, phone the helpline and ask about becoming an appointee.

Fill the form in with your parent if you can, but expect them to say they manage fine. Gently check each answer against what actually happens.

What if they are nearing the end of life?

There is a faster route, often called the special rules. GOV.UK says it applies when a doctor or other medical professional has said the person might have 12 months or less to live. A medical professional completes form SR1 and either gives it to you or sends it to the DWP. You still make the claim online or by post, but the 6 month qualifying period does not apply, the higher rate is awarded, and you do not need to describe every care need in detail.

Someone else can make this claim on the person's behalf, and GOV.UK confirms they do not need the person's permission. Details are on the GOV.UK page about claiming if you're nearing the end of life. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own equivalent fast-track arrangements.

What happens after you send it?

Before posting, photocopy or photograph every page, including extra sheets and evidence. For an online claim, save or screenshot the summary.

Paper forms for England and Wales go to the Freepost address given on GOV.UK and on the form; no stamp is needed. GOV.UK says you will be contacted by phone or letter within 3 weeks to explain when you can expect a decision. There is normally no medical examination, though the DWP may contact the GP or, occasionally, arrange an assessment.

If the claim is refused or the rate looks too low

For DWP decisions, the first step is to ask for a mandatory reconsideration, usually within one month of the date on the decision letter. It is free. If the decision does not change, you can then appeal to an independent tribunal. Many refusals come down to a form that understated the need, so this is the moment to add the detail and evidence that were missing. A local Citizens Advice or Age UK can help.

This article is general information, not personal benefits advice. If the situation is complicated, for example a recent move between UK nations, a stay in hospital or a council-funded care home place, speak to a benefits adviser before you claim.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Attendance Allowance form take to fill in?

Allow several hours, ideally spread over a few sittings. The factual sections are quick; the care needs questions take time because each needs a written description. Phoning for the form first gives you up to 6 weeks to return it without losing the start date.

Do I have to wait 6 months before claiming?

The person must have needed help for at least 6 months before Attendance Allowance can be paid, unless they are claiming under the end of life rules. Citizens Advice notes that the 6 months can include time before there was a formal diagnosis, so count from when the difficulties began.

Does my parent need a diagnosis or a carer to claim?

No. The claim is based on the help or supervision needed, not on a named diagnosis, and GOV.UK confirms you do not need to have someone caring for you to claim. A person living alone without help can qualify.

Do savings or income affect the claim?

No. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so savings and income are not asked about for that purpose. Rates change each April; the current figures are on GOV.UK.

Can I get help filling in the form?

Yes. Local Citizens Advice offices, Age UK branches and some council welfare rights teams help people complete the form, often free of charge. The helpline can also arrange help for people who cannot manage the form.

Key takeaways