Help with the cost
Attendance Allowance - government support that can be used to fund companionship support for older people.
Not means-tested. Not counted against savings. No rules on what it is spent on.
LOWER RATE
£76.70 a week
Help or supervision needed by day or by night.
HIGHER RATE
£114.60 a week
Help or supervision needed by day and by night.
Tax free. Income and savings are not counted. Rates for 2026/27, England and Wales.
Who it is for:
Anyone over State Pension age.
With a physical or mental health condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, six months or more.
Who needs help with things like washing or dressing, or someone keeping an eye on them to stay safe.
Memory loss and dementia count, usually because of the supervision someone needs rather than hands-on help.
Attendance Allowance is paid to the older person, and they choose what to do with it. Many families put it towards company.
You do not have to be getting that help already. It cannot be claimed alongside PIP.
How to claim:
Apply online at gov.uk/attendance-allowance, or ask for a paper form on 0800 731 0122 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
Post the form to Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance - nothing else on the envelope, no stamp, no postcode.
Get help with the form. It is long, and how it is filled in makes a real difference. Citizens Advice will go through it with you free of charge - citizensadvice.org.uk or 0800 144 8848 - and your local council's welfare rights service does the same.
You will hear within about three weeks how long a decision will take.
Apply or read more on gov.uk · Citizens Advice · Find your council
If company is what your parent needs, we would love to talk.
amble.
Meaningful professional companionship for the later years. A premium service for older adults, across the UK.
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Amble Companions Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company number 17357800. Registered office: 3 Ridings Barn, Loxwood Road, Alfold, Cranleigh GU6 8EW. ICO registration ZC205988. Amble provides companionship, not regulated care.