Attendance Allowance › Hearing Loss
Attendance Allowance and Hearing Loss: Do You Qualify?
Last updated: April 2026 · Reviewed by: Silverwings Benefits Team · Source: DWP
Hearing loss is often underestimated because people assume a hearing aid solves the problem entirely — but missing a smoke alarm, a doorbell, or a warning shout can be genuinely dangerous, and the isolation it causes is a real daily impact too. Attendance Allowance recognises this kind of need, whether or not you use hearing aids.
Important: there\u2019s no list of qualifying conditions
Attendance Allowance isn\u2019t awarded because of a diagnosis \u2014 it\u2019s awarded based on the help and supervision you need day-to-day because of your health. Two people with hearing loss can have very different levels of need, and both routes below start with a free, no-obligation check.
Check If You're Eligible — Free, 60 Seconds
Check If You’re Likely to Qualify
A few quick questions about the help you need day-to-day — no jargon, no medical terms. Takes about 2 minutes.
No obligation · No cost to check
How Hearing Loss Can Affect Daily Life
These are the kinds of everyday difficulties that can be relevant to an Attendance Allowance claim. Not everyone with hearing loss experiences all of these, and some people experience difficulties not listed here \u2014 this is general context, not a checklist to copy onto a form.
Missing doorbells, alarms and phone calls
Not hearing a smoke alarm, a carbon monoxide alarm, or someone at the door can create real safety concerns, particularly for someone living alone.
Communication difficulty
Struggling to follow conversations, especially in groups or with background noise, which can mean needing someone to repeat or relay information.
Safety risks from not hearing warnings
Missing a car horn, a shouted warning, or an approaching vehicle when out and about is a genuine physical safety risk, not just an inconvenience.
Missing important calls
Not hearing the phone ring, or struggling to follow what's said on a call from a doctor's surgery or family member, can mean missing important information.
Social isolation
Many people with hearing loss gradually withdraw from conversations and social situations because following them becomes exhausting or embarrassing.
Needing someone to communicate on your behalf
In situations like medical appointments, some people need someone else present to make sure information is properly understood and passed on.
How Much Could You Get?
£76.70/wk
Lower Rate
Help needed by day or night
£114.60/wk
Higher Rate
Help needed by day and night
Tax-free, not means-tested \u2014 see full details on our main Attendance Allowance page.
Why Not Apply Alone?
Hearing loss claims are often under-assessed because it's easy to describe things vaguely ('a bit deaf') without conveying the real risk involved, like missing a smoke alarm. Getting this right matters — which is exactly the kind of detail our team focuses on.
DWP figures show 59% of new disability benefit claims are disallowed nationally. We\u2019ve helped hundreds of people apply successfully since October 2023, on a success-based fee basis \u2014 you only pay if your application succeeds.
Check If You're Eligible
Our free eligibility check takes just a couple of minutes. No obligation, no pressure.
Not sure Attendance Allowance is the right fit? Check everything you could be owed, free.