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Living in Great Britain

To get Attendance Allowance you must normally be in Great Britain, or be treated as living here, and meet certain other conditions about your residence and presence.

You must:

• be normally resident in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), and
  not be subject to immigration control, and
• be in Great Britain when you make your claim, and
• have been in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey for at least 26 weeks out of the last 52 weeks (the does not apply for people paid under the special rules).
• 
  

Time spent living in another European Economic Area country may in some cases be treated as a period in Great Britain for the purposes of the 26-week rule.

You may be treated as living in Great Britain if you are:

• a member of HM Armed Forces serving abroad or member of their family
• a mariner or airman working abroad
• working on the United Kingdom sector of the continental shelf (for example, on an oil rig)

If you are getting Attendance Allowance and you move to another European Economic Area country or Switzerland, you may continue to receive it under certain circumstances.

Changes in your circumstances

Changes to your circumstances can affect whether you should get Attendance Allowance or the amount you get. This includes if your care needs change, if you go into a National Health Service hospital or a care home or independent hospital or whether you go abroad to live or visit.

It's important to contact the office that deals with your payments.

Your disability or medical condition

Changes in circumstances include you, or someone you claim for, needing less help with personal care or supervision, because your condition has improved or you have an aid to help you.  If your condition, or the condition of someone you care for, gets worse and you need more help, this could mean that you, or the disabled person, can get more money.

National Health Service (NHS) hospitals

Changes in circumstances include you, or someone you claim for going into or leaving a National Health Service Hospital.

• Hospital stays and your benefits

Care homes and independent hospitals

A permanent or temporary stay in a care home or independent hospital can affect your Attendance Allowance.

• Care homes and benefits (health and well-being section)

Going abroad to live or visit

If you are going to live abroad permanently you cannot usually get Attendance Allowance. If you already get Attendance Allowance and you leave the UK to live in another European Economic Area country or Switzerland, you may be able to continue receiving it under certain circumstances.

If your visit abroad is temporary, you may continue to get Attendance Allowance if: