DWP handing £458 a month to state pensioners with 1 condition

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is handing up to £458 a month to state pensioners with one condition. There are believed to be a huge number of people who are not claiming the extra cash despite being eligible.

Attendance Allowance, a tax-free, non-means-tested benefit, is designed to help people over State Pension age with a long-term illness or disability. According to the DWP, arthritis is the most common condition for people claiming the benefit. Figures show that around 35% of all 1.7 million claims relate to the condition.

The current Attendance Allowance for the 2026/2027 tax year is paid in a lower rate and a higher rate. The rate you receive depends on the care you need.

The lower rate is worth £76.70 per week, equating to £306.80 every four weeks, and is paid if you need frequent help or supervision furing the day or night. Meanwhile, the higher rate is worth £114.60 per week, equating to £458.40 every four weeks, and is paid if you need help through both day and night, or if you are terminally ill.

The benefit is usually paid every four weeks and is not means-tested, meaning your income or savings do not affect your claim. It is also completely tax-free.

The money is paid to people suffering from a long-term illness or disability, such as arthritis, that requires someone to help with personal care or supervision.

Who is eligible for Attendance Allowance?

You can get Attendance Allowance if you’ve reached State Pension age and the following apply:

• you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or a health condition
• your disability or health condition is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety
• you have needed that help for at least 6 months

You must also:

• be in Great Britain when you claim – there are some exceptions, such as members and family members of the armed forces
• have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply if you’re a refugee or have humanitarian protection status)
• be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
• not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)
• not get Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA) or Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)