The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed a list of 71 neurological conditions that qualify state pensioners for up to £496 a month in Attendance Allowance. For the 2026/27 tax year, the maximum monthly payment is approximately £496.60, based on the higher weekly rate of £114.60 for those needing care or supervision throughout both day and night.
What is Attendance Allowance?
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people over pension age who have care needs. You may have care needs if you require help with daily activities such as dressing, using the toilet, or need supervision to prevent harm. The benefit is not means-tested, so your income and savings are not taken into account, and claiming it will not reduce any other income you receive.
Eligibility Criteria
To claim Attendance Allowance, you must have needed help with your care needs for at least six months. However, if you are terminally ill, you can make a claim immediately. The benefit is paid at two different rates, depending on the level of care required due to your disability.
Full List of 71 Neurological Conditions
- Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
- Cerebrovascular disease - Other / type not known
- Transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs/mini stroke)
- Cataplexy
- Generalised seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Generalised seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Narcolepsy
- Partial seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Partial seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Seizures - unclassified
- Disturbances of consciousness - Non-epileptic - Other / type not known
- Drop attacks
- Non epileptic Attack disorder (pseudoseizures)
- Stokes Adams attacks (cardiovascular syncope)
- Syncope - Other / type not known
- Blepharospasm
- Essential tremor - benign
- Huntington's disease
- Movement disorders - Other / type not known
- Parkinson's disease
- Parkinson's syndrome / Parkinsonism
- Torticollis
- Tourette's syndrome
- Writer's cramp
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neurofibromatosis
- Tumours - benign - Other / type not known
- Hydrocephalus
- Dizziness - cause not specified
- Headache - Other causes of / cause not known
- Migraine
- Head injury - Cognitive and sensorimotor impairment
- Head injury - Cognitive impairment
- Head injury - Sensorimotor impairment
- Spinal cord compression
- Paraplegia (traumatic)
- Spinal cord compression - Other causes of / cause not known
- Syringomyelia / Syringobulbia
- Tetraplegia (traumatic)
- Degenerative neuronal diseases - Other / type not known
- Motor neurone disease
- Cerebral palsy - Ataxic
- Cerebral palsy - Athetoid
- Cerebral palsy - Diplegic
- Cerebral palsy - Hemiplegic
- Cerebral palsy - Other / type not known
- Cerebral palsy - Quadriplegic
- Spina bifida
- Ataxia - Friedrich's
- Ataxias - Other / type not known
- Charcot Marie Tooth disease
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Guillain Barre syndrome
- Neuropathies - Other / type not known including peripheral
- Brachial plexus
- Peripheral nerve injury - Other / type not known
- Dermatomyositis
- Dystrophia myotonica
- Muscle - Other diseases of / type not known
- Myasthenia gravis
- Polymyositis
- Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy
- Muscular dystrophy - Becker type
- Muscular dystrophy - Duchenne
- Muscular dystrophy - limb girdle
- Muscular dystrophy - Other / type not known
- Creutzfeldt - Jacob disease (CJD)
- Infections - Other
- Poliomyelitis and post polio syndrome
- Prion diseases - Other / type not known
- Neurological disorders - Other / type not known
If you or someone you know has one of these conditions and is over pension age, you may be eligible for Attendance Allowance. For more information, visit the official DWP website or consult a benefits advisor.
