Attendance allowance and disability living allowance claimants in the older population: Is there a difference in their economic circumstances?

The UK Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a non-means-tested cash benefit claimable only before age 65, although receipt can continue beyond 65. The similar Attendance Allowance (AA) can be claimed only from age 65 and in some cases is worth less than DLA. DLA is being replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which, like DLA, will have advantages over AA. These advantages are sometimes justified on grounds that DLA recipients have longer histories of disability and consequently lower incomes. Using detailed survey data we find no evidence of higher levels of income deprivation among older DLA than AA recipients. Copyright © The Policy Press, 2012.