Attendance Allowance introduced

The Attendance Allowance was introduced as a non-means-tested benefit for people who had a serious or debilitating illness or disability and required personal assistance.

Such individuals might need constant care (day and night) or assistance for part of the day or night. This allowed for people to stay in their homes and communities while receiving tailored support.

The Attendance Allowance appeared to cause some anxiety in parliament, with members raising concerns over restrictive eligibility criteria and providing examples of appeal cases. However, Sir Keith Joseph, Minister of Health, denied there was a need for a review.