Everything you need to know about eligibility, current 2026/27 rates and how the process really works — in plain English.
Attendance Allowance is one of the most under-claimed benefits in the UK system. It isn't advertised, it doesn't appear on a standard State Pension statement, and most people who moved abroad years ago were never told it exists — let alone that it could still apply to them. Many expats simply assume that moving away from the UK ended their entitlement to any UK benefit. For a specific group of pre-Brexit movers, that assumption is wrong.
The UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement protects the benefit rights of British nationals who were already lawfully resident in an EU or EEA country before the Brexit transition period ended. If that applies to you, Attendance Allowance can still be claimed and paid while you live abroad.
The key date: you must have established your EU/EEA residency before 31 December 2020 to be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. If you moved after that date, different rules apply and it's worth getting individual advice on where you stand.
Both rates are tax-free, paid on top of any State Pension you already receive, and are not means-tested — your savings, other income or property make no difference at all.
A properly handled claim is simpler than most people expect, and involves no wet-ink paperwork:
The whole service runs on a No Win, No Fee basis — nothing to pay upfront, and nothing at all if your claim doesn't succeed.