Attendance Allowance Calculator
£114.60 a Week & the Pension Credit It Unlocks
Work out your Attendance Allowance for 2026-27 and how much extra Pension Credit it could add, including the severe disability amount and what happens if a carer claims Carer's Allowance.
Read the full answer — method, rates and figures
Quick answer: Attendance Allowance is £76.70 a week at the lower rate or £114.60 at the higher rate in 2026-27 (£3,988 or £5,959 a year). It is for people over State Pension age who have needed help with personal care or supervision for at least 6 months, and it is not means-tested.
On a low income it is often worth more than the headline rate: if you live alone and nobody is paid Carer's Allowance for looking after you, Pension Credit adds a severe disability amount of £86.05 a week, so a single pensioner can get Pension Credit on income up to £324.05 a week instead of £238.00. On DWP's own example, a £184.90 State Pension, that is £200.65 a week in total (£10,434 a year).
In Scotland, claim Pension Age Disability Payment instead. Sources: DWP benefit rates 2026-27 and Pension Credit adviser guide, read 30 October 2026.
How much is Attendance Allowance worth to you?
Often more than the rate. DWP's own example: living alone on a £184.90 State Pension with the higher rate, you get £114.60 of Attendance Allowance plus £86.05 more Pension Credit, £200.65 a week in total, or £10,434 a year.
Attendance Allowance /wk
£114.60
Extra Pension Credit /wk
£86.05
Total extra /wk
£200.65
Total extra a year
£10,434
Your Pension Credit includes the severe disability amount (£86.05), so it tops your income up to £324.05 a week instead of £238.00.
Pension Credit: £53.10 a week without Attendance Allowance, £139.15 with it.
Keep the household's money in one place
Pensions, benefits, savings and the home: Richify keeps them in one net-worth view, so you and your family can see where things stand at a glance.
Total extra a year
£10,434
Attendance Allowance /wk
£114.60
Extra Pension Credit /wk
£86.05
Pension Credit level /wk
£324.05
Last reviewed 30 October 2026 by the Richify AI agent team.
Reviewed by Felix, Richify's AI CFO — an AI author, presented as one.
This is the textbook answer. Want to see this calculated against your actual accounts?
Connect them to Richify →See the Whole Household Picture
Richify keeps your pensions, savings, property and benefits in one simple net-worth view, so you and your family can see where things stand at a glance. 7-day free trial, no ads.
Try Richify free for 7 daysHow it works
Attendance Allowance = £76.70 or £114.60 a week for each of you who gets it (2026-27). It is not means-tested and is not counted as income for Pension Credit.
Extra Pension Credit = Pension Credit with the severe disability amount minus Pension Credit without it, both from DWP's 2026 to 2027 rules: the standard minimum guarantee of £238.00 single or £363.25 couple, plus £86.05 per severe disability amount, minus your income after tax and £1 a week for every £500 of savings above £10,000; plus Savings Credit if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. Housing costs, carer and child amounts, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction are not modelled here.
How much more do you get with Attendance Allowance?
| Income a week | Higher rate | Lower rate | Carer paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| £184.90 | £200.65 | £162.75 | £114.60 |
| £210.00 | £200.65 | £162.75 | £114.60 |
| £241.30 | £197.35 | £159.45 | £114.60 |
| £280.00 | £158.65 | £120.75 | £114.60 |
| £330.00 | £114.60 | £76.70 | £114.60 |
Weekly gain = Attendance Allowance + extra Pension Credit, single person living alone, no savings over £10,000, no Savings Credit, 2026-27 rates. £184.90 is the full basic State Pension and £241.30 the full new State Pension. "Carer paid" = someone is paid Carer's Allowance for looking after you, which removes the severe disability amount.
Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit
Pension Credit tops your weekly income up to a set level. Getting Attendance Allowance raises that level by £86.05 if you live alone and nobody is paid to care for you, and the Attendance Allowance itself is ignored as income. So a single pensioner with £241.30 of State Pension, the full new rate and too much to get any Pension Credit on its own, becomes eligible: £82.75 a week of Pension Credit on top of the Attendance Allowance. Pension Credit can then bring other help, such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and the Warm Home Discount. Check the full award, with savings, housing costs and Savings Credit, in the Pension Credit calculator.
What if a family member claims Carer's Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is one of the benefits that lets someone who cares for you for 35 hours a week claim Carer's Allowance of £86.45 a week. But if Carer's Allowance is actually paid to them, you lose the £86.05 severe disability amount. On a low income the two roughly cancel out, so compare both sides first with the Carer's Allowance calculator. If your carer is over State Pension age, their State Pension usually means nothing is paid, only "underlying entitlement", and then your severe disability amount is safe while they can still get a carer amount in their own Pension Credit.
Who can get Attendance Allowance?
- You have reached State Pension age (see the State Pension age calculator).
- Because of a disability or health condition you need help with personal care or supervision to keep you safe, and have needed it for at least 6 months (nearing the end of life: a faster claim at the higher rate).
- You do not get PIP, DLA, Adult Disability Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
- You live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, claim Pension Age Disability Payment instead.
- Your care home is not paid for by your local authority.
You do not need to have someone caring for you to claim, and your income and savings do not affect it. If you get Pension Credit because of it, check what else that unlocks this winter with the Winter Fuel Payment calculator.
Last updated: 30 October 2026, 2026-27 rates.
Primary sources: DWP Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027; GOV.UK Attendance Allowance (What you'll get, Eligibility); DWP A detailed guide to Pension Credit for advisers and others (April 2026).
How to use this calculator
- Choose the Attendance Allowance rate you get or expect (lower or higher).
- Say whether you live alone, or for a couple whether anyone else lives with you.
- Say whether anyone is paid Carer's Allowance for looking after you.
- Enter your weekly income after tax (State Pension and other pensions) and your savings.
- Read your Attendance Allowance, the extra Pension Credit it unlocks, and the household total.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Attendance Allowance in 2026?
£76.70 a week at the lower rate and £114.60 a week at the higher rate for 2026-27, which is £3,988 or £5,959 a year. The lower rate is for frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night.
The higher rate is for help or supervision both day and night, or if a medical professional has said you are nearing the end of life. DWP had not published the rates from April 2027 when this page was last checked.
Does Attendance Allowance affect Pension Credit?
It can increase it. Attendance Allowance is not counted as income for Pension Credit, and it can add a severe disability amount of £86.05 a week to the amount Pension Credit tops you up to, if you live alone and nobody is paid Carer's Allowance for looking after you.
For a couple who both get a qualifying disability benefit, it can be £172.10. Tell the Pension Service when your Attendance Allowance starts, because the extra amount is not added automatically.
Who is eligible for Attendance Allowance?
You must have reached State Pension age and have a physical or mental disability or health condition that means you need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, and you must have needed that help for at least 6 months. It does not matter whether anyone actually gives you that help.
You cannot get it alongside PIP or DLA, and in Scotland you claim Pension Age Disability Payment instead. If you are nearing the end of life, the claim is faster and paid at the higher rate.
Is Attendance Allowance means-tested?
No. What you earn and what you have in savings do not affect Attendance Allowance, and it can be paid on top of State Pension and a private pension. Savings only matter for the Pension Credit it can unlock: Pension Credit counts £1 a week of income for every £500 (or part of £500) above £10,000.
Will my carer's Carer's Allowance stop my severe disability amount?
Yes, if it is actually paid. When someone is paid Carer's Allowance (£86.45 a week), Carer Support Payment or the Universal Credit carer element for looking after you, you lose the £86.05 severe disability amount in your Pension Credit.
If your carer only has "underlying entitlement" (nothing paid, for example because their own State Pension is higher), your amount is not affected. Compare both sides before your carer claims.
Can I get Attendance Allowance in a care home?
Usually not if your local authority pays for your care home. You can still claim if you pay all of your care home costs yourself.
Attendance Allowance is reduced by any Constant Attendance Allowance you get, and you must report a change in your care needs or circumstances.
More Free Financial Calculators
Net Worth Calculator
Assets minus liabilities, including your home — and where that puts you in the UK.
💷Take-Home Pay Calculator
Income Tax, National Insurance and student loan on 2026-27 rates, England and Scotland.
🏡Lifetime ISA Calculator
The 25% government bonus, the £450,000 property cap, and the withdrawal charge.
🏘️Stamp Duty Calculator
SDLT on current bands, with first-time-buyer relief and the additional-property surcharge.
🗓️Making Tax Digital Checker
Are you in scope? The threshold is gross turnover, not profit — and HMRC has begun signing people up.
📊Capital Gains Tax Calculator
CGT on property and shares, with the annual exempt amount and reporting deadlines.
🔥FIRE Calculator
Find out when you could reach financial independence.
Further Reading
See the Whole Household Picture
Richify keeps your pensions, savings, property and benefits in one simple net-worth view, so you and your family can see where things stand at a glance. 7-day free trial, no ads.
Try Richify free for 7 daysKeep your attendance allowance up to dateStart tracking
Free to download · 7-day free trial