Do Savings Stop You Claiming Attendance Allowance? (No — Here's Why)
Savings, pensions and property don't affect your Attendance Allowance claim.
We hear it on almost every call: "I didn't think I'd be able to claim because we've got savings" or "surely they'll say no, we own our house outright." It's one of the most common — and most costly — misunderstandings about Attendance Allowance, and it stops thousands of people who genuinely qualify from ever applying.
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested
Unlike Pension Credit, Universal Credit or Council Tax Reduction, Attendance Allowance has no savings limit and no income test whatsoever. It doesn't matter whether you have £500 or £500,000 in the bank, whether you own your home outright, or how much your pension pays out each month. None of it is asked about, and none of it affects your entitlement.
The only thing that decides whether you're awarded Attendance Allowance — and at which rate — is the level of help or supervision you need because of a health condition or disability, over and above what most people your age would need. That's it. Your financial situation simply isn't part of the assessment.
Why this misunderstanding is so common
It's an easy assumption to make. Most of the benefits people have heard of — Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction — do have savings and income limits, so it's natural to expect Attendance Allowance works the same way. It's also completely understandable that people who've worked hard and saved carefully, or paid off their mortgage, feel like support "isn't meant for them." But Attendance Allowance was designed specifically to recognise the cost and impact of a health condition or disability, regardless of someone's financial position.
It's also tax-free and doesn't reduce other benefits
On top of not being means-tested, Attendance Allowance is completely tax-free, and being awarded it can actually unlock other support rather than reduce it — for example, it can increase entitlement to Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit, because it signals to the DWP and your local council that you have extra care needs.
However much you've got saved, it's worth 2 minutes to check.
Check your Attendance Allowance eligibilityThis article is general information, not financial or legal advice. Benefit rates and thresholds are reviewed and can change — always check the current published rate or speak to us for an up-to-date, personal assessment.