An estimated two million people across Great Britain are living with eyesight issues or a degenerative eye condition. Over 60,300 working age adults under 66 are receiving extra financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP), while nearly 50,000 people over State Pension age are getting regular payments through Attendance Allowance.
People of State Pension age living in Scotland can no longer make a new claim for Attendance Allowance and must apply for Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) instead. PADP provides the same financial support as Attendance Allowance, but is administered and delivered by Social Security Scotland.
Support for older people with sight loss
Three out of four people with a vision impairment are aged over 65, with around 8,000 people of working age registered blind or partially sighted. For adults who lose their sight in later life, it can be very distressing as they feel they are no longer able to enjoy activities such as driving, taking part in sports, reading, and cooking.
Mobility can also be affected, and with that may come independence and travel issues. However, it's important to be aware that Attendance Allowance does not include a component for mobility needs.
Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It currently provides extra financial support to over 1.7 million people across England and Wales. Pension Age Disability Payment is now supporting 185,895 older people in Scotland.
Payment rates and common eye conditions
Latest DWP figures show that in November 2025 there were 49,546 pensioners in claim for Attendance Allowance. Following the annual uprating, payments are now worth either £76.70 a week for the lower rate or £114.60 for the higher rate. Payment rates for Pension Age Disability Payment are the same, but administered by Social Security Scotland.
Common eye conditions affecting older people include cataract, myopia (short-sightedness), macular degeneration (wet and dry), glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, retina and optic nerve diseases, and diabetic retinopathy. Vision impairment conditions supported through disability benefits include diseases of the conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids and lacrimal apparatus, corneal ulceration, entropion, herpes zoster ophthalmic, keratitis, keratoconus, orbital cellulitis, ptosis, scleritis, uveitis, anterior uveitis (iritis), chorioretinal disorders, posterior (choroiditis), glaucoma, visual injuries to the eye, vitreous disease, posterior vitreous detachment, vitreous haemorrhage, and diseases of the retina and optic nerve such as diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, macular degeneration, optic atrophy, optic neuritis, retinal artery occlusion, retinal detachment, retinal vein occlusion, and retinopathy.
Refractive errors include astigmatism, hypermetropia (long-sighted), myopia (short-sighted), and presbyopia. Disorders of eye movement include nystagmus and strabismus (squint). Visual field defects include amblyopia, cortical blindness, diplopia (double vision), hemianopia, quadrantanopia, scotoma, and tunnel vision.
How to claim Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a physical or mental disability or illness severe enough that it makes it hard for you to look after yourself. It does not cover mobility needs, and you do not need to have someone caring for you to claim. You should consider applying if you need help or supervision throughout the day or at times during the night, even if you do not currently get that help. This might include help with personal care, such as getting dressed, eating or drinking, getting in and out of bed, bathing or showering, and going to the toilet, or help to stay safe.
You could get either £76.70 or £114.60 a week depending on the level of care you need, paid every four weeks, which works out at £306.80 and £458.40 respectively. You can spend the money however you like, and it could help you stay independent in your own home for longer, such as paying for taxis, helping towards bills, or paying for a cleaner or gardener.
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so it doesn't matter what other money you have coming in or how much you have in savings. It's tax-free and you'll be exempt from the Benefit Cap, so you won't have money taken away from any other benefits. It won't affect your State Pension, and you can claim it even if you're still working and earning money.
Other benefits you get might increase if you get Attendance Allowance, including Extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit Reduction, and Council Tax Reduction.
To make a claim, you will need to complete a long claim form. Help is available from your nearest Citizens Advice, and full details of how to get the application form by post or over the phone can be found on the Gov.uk website. If you're about to reach State Pension age, you might be better off claiming PIP straight away, as the amount you get will depend on your circumstances and how your disability or illness affects you.
You won't be able to get Attendance Allowance if you already get PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to pay for your care. If you apply for Attendance Allowance while getting DLA, the DWP will usually reassess your DLA award instead. You can renew your PIP or DLA when the existing award ends as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria. If your renewal is unsuccessful, you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead.
Pension Age Disability Payment eligibility
You can apply for Pension Age Disability Payment if you have reached State Pension age and have had care needs during the day or night for 6 months or more because of a disability or health condition. You can still apply if you have not had care needs for 6 months or more, if you are waiting for or do not have a diagnosis, or if you have a terminal illness, which has a separate fast-track application process.
You cannot get Pension Age Disability Payment and Attendance Allowance at the same time. Existing claimants will automatically move to Pension Age Disability Payment, and Social Security Scotland will do this without you having to do anything. If you get Disability Living Allowance, your benefit will move to Social Security Scotland. You can only apply for the new disability assistance benefit on mygov.scot.
