How much Attendance Allowance you can get
This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales
Changes to Attendance Allowance in Scotland
A new benefit called Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance in Scotland from October 2024.
If you already get Attendance Allowance
You’ll keep getting Attendance Allowance until you move to Pension Age Disability Payment. Social Security Scotland will contact you to tell you when that will happen.
Find out more about changes to Attendance Allowance in Scotland on mygov.scot.
If you do not already get Attendance Allowance
You can apply for Pension Age Disability Payment on or after:
21 October 2024 - if you live in Aberdeen City, Argyll and Bute, Highland, Orkney or Shetland
24 March 2025 - if you live in Aberdeenshire, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, Falkirk, Fife, Moray, Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles), North Ayrshire, Perth and Kinross, South Ayrshire or Stirling
22 April 2025 - if you live in Edinburgh City, Dumfries and Galloway, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire or West Lothian.
Find out more about Pension Age Disability Payment.
There are 2 different 'rates' of Attendance Allowance - you'll either get £72.65 or £108.55 a week. You can spend the money however you like - it could help you stay independent in your own home for longer.
The amount you get will depend on:
the difficulties you have
how much help or supervision you need
when you need help or supervision
The 2 different amounts of Attendance Allowance are called the lower and higher rates.
Cost of Living Payments
The government gave people getting Attendance Allowance a £150 Cost of Living Payment between 20 June and 4 July 2023.
To get this payment you must have either:
been getting Attendance Allowance on 1 April 2023
applied for Attendance Allowance by 1 April 2023 - you won't get the payment until your claim is successful
If you think you should have received a Cost of Living Payment, you can report a missing payment on GOV.UK.
Lower rate - £72.65 a week
You'll get this amount if you need help or supervision during either the day or during the night.
Higher rate - £108.55 a week
You'll get this amount if you need help or supervision during both the day and night.
Attendance Allowance and your other benefits
If there's anyone of working age living with you, your household will be exempt from the 'Benefit Cap'. This means you or other people in your household won't get less money in your other benefits if you get Attendance Allowance.
You won’t be able to claim Attendance Allowance if you already get:
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)