How Long Is Attendance Allowance Awarded For: Award Length, Reviews & Renewals 

Attendance Allowance is awarded either indefinitely (no fixed end date) or for a fixed period if your condition might improve. Terminally ill claimants under Special Rules automatically receive the higher rate for three years. The DWP can review any award, indefinite or fixed, if you report a change in your care needs, and fixed awards must be renewed before they expire or payments stop. 

The Three Types of AA Award Duration

The DWP doesn’t use a single formula for award length. Every decision letter falls into one of three categories, and each comes with its own rules.

Indefinite awards

An indefinite award means there’s no fixed date attached to your claim for the DWP to review it. This is the most common outcome for older adults whose condition is stable or progressive and unlikely to improve. Crucially, “indefinite” doesn’t mean “for life”  it simply means the DWP isn’t scheduling an automatic check-in. The award only gets revisited if you report a change in circumstances.

Fixed-term awards

A fixed-term award comes with an expiry date. The DWP uses these when a condition might realistically improve, such as recovery from a stroke or a period of intensive treatment. You’ll need to actively renew the claim before it ends, or your payments stop entirely.

Special Rules terminal illness awards

If you’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness and aren’t expected to live more than 12 months, you can apply through the fast-track Special Rules process. Decisions are typically made within two weeks, and if successful, you’ll receive the higher rate automatically for three years.

What determines which type you get

The DWP’s decision-maker looks at the evidence in your claim form and any supporting medical information to judge whether your condition is likely to change. Progressive, stable, or degenerative conditions tend to receive indefinite awards. Conditions with a realistic recovery trajectory tend to receive fixed terms. Your decision letter will always state which type you’ve been given and, if fixed, the exact date it ends.

Why Some Awards Are Indefinite

Indefinite awards are typically issued when the DWP has no reason to expect your care needs to reduce. This includes:

• Progressive conditions unlikely to improve  conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and advanced arthritis rarely reverse, so there’s little value in scheduling a review.
• Age-related deterioration  where symptoms are expected to gradually worsen rather than improve over time.
• Stable, long-term multi-morbidity  where several conditions combine to create a consistent, ongoing level of need.

Even with an indefinite award, the DWP maintains what’s effectively a “watch and wait” system. There’s no scheduled review, but the moment your circumstances change, that watch ends and a fresh assessment begins.

Why Some Awards Are Fixed-Term

Fixed-term awards are reserved for situations where recovery or significant change is plausible:

• Recovering conditions, such as rehabilitation following a stroke, where care needs may lessen over months.
• Treatment-responsive conditions, where a course of treatment is expected to reduce symptoms.
• Recent injuries or acute episodes, where the long-term impact isn’t yet clear.
• General uncertainty about prognosis, where the decision-maker simply doesn’t have enough information to commit to an indefinite award.

If your award letter states a fixed period, check the end date carefully and mark it somewhere you won’t forget  the renewal process needs to start well before that date arrives.

The Special Rules Terminal Illness 3-Year Award

The three-year duration for Special Rules awards reflects the fact that prognosis, particularly for terminal illness, can be uncertain. Rather than reassessing life expectancy at short intervals, the DWP sets a longer, compassionate window. If your circumstances haven’t changed by the three-year mark, you can renew. If your health improves significantly, you’re expected to report this, and your award may be reassessed under standard (non-Special Rules) criteria going forward. There’s no expectation to “prove” ongoing terminal illness in a way that feels invasive  the process is designed to minimize additional stress at an already difficult time.

The DWP Review Process

Reviews happen for three broad reasons: a planned review at the end of a fixed term, an unplanned review triggered by a change you report, or, less commonly, a random spot-check. Whichever applies, the review works the same way  the DWP reassesses your entire claim, which means your award could increase, decrease, or stay exactly the same. You have a legal duty to report relevant changes as they happen, rather than waiting for your next scheduled contact with the DWP.

What Counts as a “Change of Circumstances”

You’re required to tell the DWP if:

• Your care needs have significantly improved or worsened
• You receive a new diagnosis that affects your condition
• Your living arrangements or household composition change
• You move into a care home
• You have an extended hospital stay
• You move abroad

Citizens Advice is explicit that you must report both improvement and deterioration in your condition, going into hospital, and going into a care home. Failing to report any of these can lead to overpayments, which the DWP will later recover.

Reporting Changes to the DWP

Changes should be reported to the Attendance Allowance helpline as soon as they happen, rather than left until a renewal or review. If you fail to report a relevant change and continue receiving a rate you’re no longer entitled to, you may be asked to repay the difference. If you disagree with a decision made after a review, you can request a mandatory reconsideration  but you’ll usually need to do this within one month of the date on your decision letter.

When a Review Increases Your Award

If your care needs have worsened, a review can move you from the lower rate to the higher rate. It’s worth proactively requesting a reassessment if your condition has deteriorated rather than waiting for a scheduled review that may never come, especially if you have an indefinite award. Providing updated medical evidence alongside your report of change strengthens the case for a higher rate and can support backdating in some circumstances.

When a Review Decreases or Ends Your Award

Reviews can also work against you if your condition has genuinely improved, or if the DWP concludes your original evidence didn’t support the level awarded. If this happens, you have the same mandatory reconsideration and appeal rights as any other DWP benefit decision. If you believe the decision is wrong, request a written statement of reasons and gather fresh evidence before challenging it  many reductions are successfully overturned when the claimant provides clearer detail about ongoing needs.

Preparing for a Scheduled Review

If you know a fixed-term award is approaching its end date, don’t wait for the renewal letter to start preparing. Revisit your original claim form, note any ways your needs have changed since, and consider keeping a short diary of a few difficult days to use as evidence. The renewal form is essentially identical to the original AA1, so treating it with the same care and detail is essential  vague answers are just as likely to weaken a renewal as they were a first application.

The “Planned Award End Date” and What Happens Next

For fixed-term awards, the DWP should send a renewal letter and new claim form around four months before your award ends. Send the completed form back before the stated renewal date, and there’ll be no gap in your payments if you’re awarded AA again. If you return it late, payments only start from the date the DWP receives your new form  a costly delay that’s entirely avoidable with a bit of forward planning. If you haven’t received a letter and your award is due to end within two months, don’t assume it will simply continue. Call the helpline directly and ask for a renewal form.

If your award has already ended and it was less than two years ago, you can reapply for the same condition without meeting the six-month qualifying period again. If it ended more than two years ago, you’ll need to start from scratch, including the full six-month wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Attendance Allowance for life?
Not automatically. Even an indefinite award can be reviewed if your circumstances change, though in practice many indefinite awards continue for the rest of a claimant’s life without ever being reassessed.

Will I have to reapply every few years?
Only if you have a fixed-term award. Indefinite awards don’t have a renewal date, though the DWP may still contact you if it needs to review your claim.

What triggers a DWP review?
Reporting a change in your care needs, going into hospital or a care home, moving abroad, or reaching the end of a fixed-term award can all trigger a review.

Can DWP take my award away?
Yes, a review can reduce your rate or end your award entirely if your circumstances no longer meet the eligibility criteria. You have the right to challenge this through mandatory reconsideration and appeal.

What if my award has ended without a review?
If you have a fixed-term award, it will stop on its end date regardless of whether a review took place. You must renew before that date to avoid a break in payments.

Do I need to tell DWP if my condition improves?
Yes. You’re legally required to report improvements as well as deteriorations, since continuing to receive a rate you’re no longer entitled to can lead to overpayment recovery.

What if I feel a review decision is unfair?
Request a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the decision letter. If that’s unsuccessful, you can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal.