What Evidence Do You Need for Attendance Allowance with Dementia?

The AA1 form carries most of the weight in an Attendance Allowance decision — you'll only need to attend an assessment if it is unclear how the person's condition affects them. But the form alone describes care needs in your words. Supporting evidence from medical professionals and care providers gives the decision-maker independent confirmation that what you have described is real and ongoing.

Evidence That Makes the Biggest Difference

Not all evidence is equal. Here is what decision-makers find most useful for dementia claims, ranked by impact:

Memory clinic or consultant reports. These come from the psychiatrist, geriatrician, or specialist nurse who diagnosed or monitors the dementia. They typically include cognitive test scores (such as the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination or Mini-Mental State Examination), the type and stage of dementia, and observations about functional decline. Ask the clinic for a copy of the most recent report.

Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) or Admiral Nurse notes. If the person has a CPN or Admiral Nurse, their notes describe the practical impact of dementia on daily life — exactly what the form is trying to capture. These professionals often witness behaviours and care needs that the family takes for granted.

Care plan from social services or a domiciliary care agency. If the local authority has done a needs assessment or if a home care agency visits, the care plan lists specific tasks the person needs help with. This is gold for the form because it is a third-party document describing care needs in professional terms.

GP letter. A letter from the GP confirming the diagnosis, the progression of the condition, and the daily impact on the person's life is straightforward to obtain. Ask the GP to address the letter to "DWP Attendance Allowance" and to include:

• The formal diagnosis and approximate date of onset
• Whether the condition is progressive
• The practical effects on daily activities (confusion, disorientation, inability to manage personal care without prompting)
• Any medication prescribed for dementia or related symptoms

Keep it focused. A three-paragraph letter covering these points is more useful than a full medical history.

Medication Administration Record (MAR). If a carer or care worker has to manage and administer medication — blister-packing, opening packets, handing over the right tablets, supervising swallowing — a MAR chart from the pharmacy or care provider proves this need exists.

Evidence You Already Have

Before requesting anything new, check what is already in the house:

• Hospital discharge summaries from any recent admissions
• Occupational therapy reports from home safety assessments (grab rails, stairgates, key safes)
• Falls clinic referral letters or assessments
• Any letter from the memory clinic after the last appointment
• Prescription lists showing dementia medication (donepezil, rivastigmine, memantine)

Photocopies are fine. Do not send originals — the DWP does not guarantee their return.

What to Ask the GP For

GPs are busy, and a vague request for "a letter for benefits" often produces a vague letter. Instead, ask specifically: "Could you write a letter for an Attendance Allowance claim confirming the dementia diagnosis, that the condition is progressive, and summarising how it affects daily activities and safety?" Give the GP a week's notice if possible.

Some GP surgeries charge a small fee for benefits letters (typically £15-£30) since this is not an NHS service. Others do it for free. Check with the practice.

How Scotland Handles Evidence Differently

If you are applying for Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) in Scotland rather than Attendance Allowance, you can ask Social Security Scotland to gather supporting information from professionals involved in the person's care. This can take longer, and you can also provide documents yourself. You still need to describe the care needs in Part 2 of the form.

List the relevant professionals on the application — for example, the GP, memory clinic consultant, CPN, Admiral Nurse, occupational therapist, or domiciliary care agency — if you want Social Security Scotland to request supporting information from them.

Organising Evidence for Submission

A stack of loose papers does not help the decision-maker. Organise evidence with a brief index at the top:

1. GP letter confirming diagnosis and daily impact — 1 page
2. Memory clinic report, dated [month/year] — 3 pages
3. Care plan from [agency/council], dated [month/year] — 2 pages
4. Prescription list — 1 page

Number the pages to match the index. This takes ten minutes and makes the entire submission easier to follow.

What Evidence Does NOT Help

A diagnosis letter alone — "Mrs Smith has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease" — without any description of daily impact. The diagnosis is necessary but not sufficient. The decision is about care needs, not clinical labels.

Generic charity information leaflets. The DWP knows what dementia is. They need evidence about this specific person's needs.

Evidence about conditions unrelated to the claim, unless those conditions also create care needs that strengthen the case.

For a full walkthrough of how to match evidence to each section of the AA1 form — including what to write when the form asks about care needs that seem irrelevant to dementia — our dementia claim guide covers every question.

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