How to fill in the Attendance Allowance form (AA1)

The Attendance Allowance form (AA1) is long — around 30 pages — but it comes down to one skill: describing, specifically and honestly, how much help your parent really needs on their worse days. Request the form by calling 0800 731 0122 (this protects the start date), keep a week’s care diary before you write anything, answer every question with frequency and consequences, and never write “manages fine” when managing means struggling.

This walkthrough goes through the form section by section, with the phrasing that gets genuine claims accepted — and the phrases that get them refused.

This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. For advice about your own situation, speak to a regulated professional, or a free service such as Citizens Advice or Age UK.

Before you start: three things that make this much easier

1. Get the form by phone, not download. Call 0800 731 0122 and ask for a claim pack. If the signed form is back with the DWP within six weeks, the claim is treated as starting on the day you called — so the clock runs in your favour while you take your time. (You can also download form AA1 from gov.uk, but then the claim only starts when the form arrives.)

2. Keep a care diary for a week. Every prompt, every steadying arm, every 2am trip to the toilet, every meal cut up or skipped. A week of real examples turns a blank, intimidating form into a copying-out exercise.

3. Gather the practical bits: their National Insurance number, GP details, a list of medications (a repeat-prescription slip is perfect), and details of any hospital clinics or care services involved.

The golden rules for every answer

The form asks about the same activities the DWP uses to decide the claim: getting up, washing, dressing, eating, medication, toileting, night-time needs, supervision, and communication. Whatever the question, apply the same rules:

• Describe the worst days. Conditions like arthritis, Parkinson’s, heart failure and dementia fluctuate. Say plainly: “On about four days a week, Mum cannot…” The DWP should assess needs across time, not on the best morning.
• Give frequency, duration and consequence. Not “needs some help washing”, but “needs help getting in and out of the shower every day; it takes 20 minutes with help; without it she doesn’t wash for days because she is frightened of falling.”
• Needs count even when nobody meets them. If your parent lives alone and simply goes without help, write what they need, not what they get. Unmet needs qualify.
• Include prompting and supervision. Reminding someone to take tablets, encouraging them to eat, or staying nearby in case of falls all count as help, even with no physical contact.
• Never minimise. “I manage”, “I don’t like to make a fuss”, “I’m fine most days” are the three phrases that sink genuine claims. If managing means struggling, describe the struggle.

Section by section: what the DWP is really asking

Personal details, nationality and hospital/care home questions. Routine. If your parent is in hospital or a care home when you claim, answer accurately — it affects when payment starts, not whether they qualify.

“About your illnesses and disabilities.” List every condition, physical and mental, with rough dates — including things your family has normalised (“her memory”, “his balance”). The medication list can be attached rather than copied out.

The daytime care questions (getting up, washing, dressing, meals, medication, toilet, moving indoors). This is the heart of the form. For each one: what help is needed, how often, how long it takes, and what happens without it. Use your care diary. Real, specific incidents (“she fell in February getting out of the bath”) are worth more than general statements.

The night-time questions. The most under-answered section on the form — and the difference between the lower rate and the higher rate. Getting to the toilet at night, disturbed nights, wandering, needing repositioning or reassurance: if any of this happens, say how many times a night and how many nights a week.

The supervision questions (“do you need someone to keep an eye on you?”). Critical for dementia, confusion, seizures and falls. Explain what could happen without supervision: leaving the hob on, letting strangers in, getting lost, falling with nobody to help. For dementia claims, this section often matters more than the physical-care ones.

“Statement from someone who knows you.” Not compulsory, but use it if you can. A short, honest paragraph from a family member, neighbour, carer or GP who sees the reality adds weight.

The declaration. Your parent signs, unless you have Power of Attorney or are their DWP appointee. There’s a box to say who filled the form in — helping is completely normal and expected.

Special rules if your parent is terminally ill

If life expectancy may be under 12 months, don’t use the standard route: claim under the special rules with a medical SR1 form from the GP, consultant or specialist nurse. The claim is fast-tracked, there is no six-month waiting period, and the higher rate is paid automatically. Your parent does not need to know the prognosis for this to be done.

After you post it

Keep a photocopy or photos of every page — if you later need a reconsideration or the award comes up for renewal, you’ll want to see exactly what was said. A decision letter usually arrives within a few weeks to a couple of months, and payment is backdated to the start of the claim. If the decision seems wrong, ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month — see the complete guide for how refusals and appeals work.

And before you file the paperwork away: an Attendance Allowance award often unlocks Pension Credit, council tax support and Carer’s Allowance. Run the free benefits check to see what else your family should claim while you have everything to hand.