Attendance allowance
For the eligibility conditions and rules for claiming attendance allowance, please go to the Gov.uk website.
Summary
Attendance allowance provides a non-contributory, non-means-tested and tax-free contribution towards help with personal care for persons who are physically or mentally disabled and are aged 65 or over. Statistics are published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Attendance allowance is paid at two rates:
- lower rate – frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night
- higher rate – help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a person is terminally ill
The latest figures are for quarter one (March to May) of 2025/26 and are for 'all entitled cases', including those who have had their payment suspended, for example, if they are in hospital.
- In Lancashire-12, the total attendance allowance caseload was 42,498 and in Lancashire-14 it was 51,710.
- Wyre (5,757), Blackpool (5,506) and Lancaster (4,965) had the highest volume of cases in the Lancashire-14 area, whilst Ribble Valley (2,085) and Rossendale (2,167) had the lowest.
- As a proportion of the population aged 65 and over, the attendance allowance caseload in Lancashire-12 was 15.6% and in Lancashire-14 it was 15.9%. This was higher than the England proportion (14.4%).
- Local authorities with the highest caseloads as a proportion of the 65+ population were Blackpool (18.4%), Burnley (17.6%), Hyndburn (17.2%) and Wyre (17.1%).
- In Lancashire-12, 64.5% of the attendance allowance caseload were in receipt of the higher rate of payment and in Lancashire-14 it was 64.6%. Both are higher than the England proportion (63.0%).
Page updated 14 August 2025