The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that more people are now claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for respiratory conditions
Over 100,000 Brits with respiratory health issues could be in line for hundreds of pounds in additional financial support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Those battling severe asthma, upper respiratory tract disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Asbestosis, and other breathing-related health problems could qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
A successful PIP claim can offer between £28.70 and £184.30 per week in extra financial aid. Given that the benefit is paid every four weeks, this translates to between £114.80 and £737.20 each pay period.
Asthma UK’s most recent figures reveal that currently 5.4 million people across the UK are receiving treatment for asthma. The charity’s data also shows that around 160,000 people nationwide are diagnosed with asthma each year, and approximately 250,000 adults and children are living with severe asthma, reports the Daily Record.
As of July 2024, the number of individuals claiming PIP for respiratory conditions includes a variety of ailments, from diseases of the upper respiratory tract to lung transplants. The DWP stresses that PIP awards are determined by how a person’s condition impacts their daily life rather than the condition itself, according to the 2024 edition of the online PIP Handbook.
The website GOV. UK explains the intricacies of assessing claimants, stating: “As the assessment principles consider the impact of a claimant’s condition on their ability to live independently and not the condition itself, claimants with the same condition may get different outcomes. The outcome is based on an independent assessment and all available evidence.”
Respiratory conditions supported by PIP
Diseases of the upper respiratory tract
- Sleep apnoea – obstructive
- Upper respiratory tract – Other diseases of / type not known
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Chronic bronchitis
- Emphysema
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Asthma
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
- Fibrosing alveolitis
- Pulmonary fibrosis – Other / type not known
Pneumoconiosis
- Asbestosis
- Pneumoconiosis – coal workers
- Pneumoconiosis – Other / type not known
- Silicosis
Granulomatous lung disease and pulmonary infiltration
- Granulomatous lung disease and pulmonary infiltration – Other / type not known
- Sarcoidosis
Disease of the pleura
- Empyema
- Pleura – Other diseases of / type not known
- Pleural effusion
- Pneumothorax
Other condition types
- Lung transplantation
- Heart and lung transplantation
- Pulmonary embolus
- Pneumonia
- Lower respiratory tract – Other diseases of / type not known
When undergoing a PIP assessment, a health professional evaluates the claimant’s ability to perform various daily living and mobility activities, taking into account the extent to which their health condition or disability limits these abilities and the level of assistance required.
A health professional will compile a report for the PIP decision maker, who will then use all the evidence to determine your entitlement to the benefit, its rate and duration.
