The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that the qualifying age for Attendance Allowance will rise in line with the ongoing increases to the State Pension age. Attendance Allowance provides financial support towards the additional costs faced by individuals with disabilities or significant health conditions who require help with personal care.
Currently, eligibility for Attendance Allowance depends on having reached State Pension age. This age threshold is undergoing a gradual increase from 66 to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028 for both men and women, with a planned further increase to 68 scheduled between 2044 and 2046.
Charity Turn2Us has outlined the changes: “The State Pension age is gradually rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028. Individuals should expect to receive a letter from the DWP providing further details about their specific State Pension age changes. Those born on or before 5 April 1960 have a State Pension age of 66, while those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 will see their State Pension age set at 66 years plus a certain number of months. Anyone born on or after 6 March 1961 currently has a State Pension age of 67.”
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The DWP confirmed to BirminghamLive that the changes to Attendance Allowance eligibility will directly reflect the adjustments made to the State Pension age.
Under existing legislation, the State Pension age is set to rise from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046, though this schedule is subject to periodic review and may be revised.
According to the latest timetable, individuals born between 6 September 1960 and 5 October 1960 will reach their State Pension age at 66 years and 6 months starting from March 2027.
For personalised information regarding your State Pension, including when you can claim and your estimated entitlement, you can use the State Pension forecast tool available on the GOV.UK website. This resource also provides guidance on how to potentially increase your State Pension amount.
Applications for Attendance Allowance can be submitted either online or via post.