VAC attendance allowance rates 2026.

What the VAC attendance allowance pays for

Veterans Affairs Canada describes the attendance allowance as help with the cost of hiring a caregiver for day-to-day life. It is listed among the monthly payments tied to a disability pension, and the 2026 table on VAC's rates page shows a single amount per grade. Under subsection 38(1) of the Pension Act, as quoted in VAC's policy, it is awarded in addition to the pension or compensation, not instead of it.

The 2026 rates by grade

Who qualifies

VAC's program page and its policy chapter set the same three tests, and all three must be met:

• A disability pension of 1 percent or more, or Prisoner of War compensation. The allowance sits on top of one of those awards, so without one there is nothing to attach it to.
• Totally disabled, whether or not the condition is service-related. The policy defines this in its Table 1 and requires a prolonged impairment that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.
• A need for attendance. That means help or supervision with feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility or medication administration that is not already being met by VAC benefits or another program that provides the care at no cost to you.

The policy adds a footnote worth knowing: people in the special categories (paraplegia, blindness, amputations) meet the totally-disabled test, but if they show no need for attendance in any of the six elements they are still not eligible.

How the grade is decided

The grade is not a percentage and it is not chosen by the applicant. VAC rates the level of attendance needed in each of six elements, then applies rules from its policy to turn those six ratings into one grade. A few of the rules decide most cases:

• Grade 1 requires the Grade 1 level of need in all six elements.
• If you show a need in only one element and none in the other five, the award is Grade 5.
• One element rated higher than the rest does not set the grade on its own. VAC's own example: level 5 for feeding, bathing and dressing, level 4 for toileting and level 2 for mobility does not produce Grade 2 on the strength of mobility alone.
• VAC's example of a mixed profile: level 5 for feeding, dressing and medication and level 4 for toileting and mobility is awarded Grade 4.
• Special categories have their own prescribed grades. Complete paraplegia is Grade 1, loss of both arms at or above the wrist is Grade 2, and being legally blind or accepted by the CNIB for services is Grade 4. You receive the most beneficial grade you qualify for under either route.

Housekeeping, meal preparation, shopping, laundry, grounds work, using the phone, managing money and social or recreational activities are not counted when the grade is set.

Worked example (hypothetical)

Imagine a veteran awarded Grade 3 in 2026. The table gives $1,394.98 a month, which is $16,739.76 over twelve months if nothing changes. If a later reassessment moved the same person to Grade 2, the monthly amount would be $2,092.50, a difference of $697.52 a month. This is arithmetic on the published table. It is not a prediction that any grade will change, and it says nothing about what a particular application would receive.

How to apply and what happens if you are declined

VAC accepts applications through My VAC Account or by mail to Veterans Affairs Canada, PO Box 6000, Matane, QC G4W 0E4, and staff can help on 1-866-522-2122 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time). If you are not satisfied with a decision you can ask in writing for a review.

Who this is for

Veterans, retired RCMP members and families who have seen an "attendance allowance grade" on a VAC letter and want to know what the number means in dollars.

What this does not cover

It does not decide whether you qualify or what grade you would receive, and it cannot see your file. It does not cover disability pension or pain and suffering amounts, the other allowances, Canadian Forces Income Support or the Veterans Independence Program. VAC's pages we used do not say how the attendance allowance is taxed, so this page makes no tax claim.

Sources

• Veterans Affairs Canada, Rates (attendance allowance Grades 1 to 5, effective 1 January 2026; page modified 1 October 2026; retrieved 20 October 2026)
• Veterans Affairs Canada, Attendance allowance (purpose, eligibility, how to apply, appeals; page modified 29 July 2026; retrieved 20 October 2026)
• Veterans Affairs Canada, Table of Disabilities, Chapter 5, Attendance Allowance (Pension Act s. 38(1), the three tests, grade levels, special categories; retrieved 20 October 2026)
• Veterans Affairs Canada, Disability benefits (lists the attendance allowance as monthly payments tied to a disability pension; retrieved 20 October 2026)
• Veterans Affairs Canada, Attendance allowance for RCMP members (links to the same rates table; retrieved 20 October 2026)