Living with a long-term lung or airway issue can make the simplest daily tasks feel like a massive uphill battle.
To help cover the extra costs that come with managing these difficulties, the government offers financial support through Personal Independence Payment, which can provide up to £114 a week for daily living needs. Many people struggling with severe breathing problems miss out on this cash, simply because they assume their specific diagnosis doesn’t count.
The official guidance actually covers a wide range of illnesses, from familiar chronic blockages to much rarer conditions. Checking which categories the state recognises is the first step towards finding out if you’re entitled to this extra help.
What PIP actually is and who it’s for
Personal Independence Payment, usually shortened to PIP, is one of the most important benefits offered by the Department for Work and Pensions. It provides financial support to millions of people across England and Wales who are living with long-term disabilities, physical health conditions or mental health difficulties. The payment is tax-free, non-means-tested and doesn’t depend on your work status, savings or other sources of income.
As of April this year, more than 3.7 million people across the country were relying on PIP to help cover the extra costs that come with their condition. The most recent figures released by the DWP show there were 3,926,015 PIP entitlement cases recorded across the country as of January 2026, which shows just how many people are using this support to manage daily life.
How eligibility is actually assessed
One thing that catches people off guard is that PIP isn’t awarded based on having a particular diagnosis. Instead, eligibility is assessed on how a condition affects your daily life. Two people with the same condition could end up with very different awards because the impact on their daily living and mobility is what really matters.
The benefit is split into two parts, called the daily living component and the mobility component. You can qualify for one, both or neither, depending on your assessment. The daily living component covers things like preparing food, washing, dressing, communicating and managing medication. The mobility component covers your ability to plan and follow journeys, and to physically move around. The amount you receive depends on how severely your condition affects each of these areas.
The 2026 payment rates
Earlier this year, the DWP revised its payment rates in line with a 3.8% inflationary increase. The new rates are as follows. For the daily living component, the standard rate is £76.70 a week and the enhanced rate is £114.60 a week. For the mobility component, the standard rate is £30.30 a week and the enhanced rate is £80 a week.
Anyone eligible for the maximum support, which is the enhanced rate for both components, can receive up to £194.60 a week. That works out to £778.40 over a four-week pay period. Those qualifying for the standard rates on both components will receive £107 a week, totalling £428 over a four-week pay period. Even the standard awards can make a meaningful difference to households dealing with the extra costs of a long-term condition.
Why respiratory conditions can qualify for PIP
Respiratory conditions affect millions of people in the UK, and many of them have a serious impact on daily living and mobility. Conditions that affect breathing can make it harder to walk distances, climb stairs, manage household tasks, get dressed without becoming exhausted, or even sleep properly. For some people, the impact is severe enough that everyday tasks most of us take for granted become genuinely difficult.
This is why the DWP recognises a wide range of respiratory conditions as potentially qualifying for PIP. Whether you’ll actually be awarded the benefit depends on how the condition specifically affects you, but having one of these diagnoses puts you in a position to apply with a strong case if your symptoms are majorly impacting daily life.
What the assessment process actually involves
Applying for PIP can feel like a daunting process, but knowing what to expect helps. You start by contacting the DWP to make a claim, after which they’ll send you a form called PIP2 that asks detailed questions about how your condition affects you. The key thing here is to focus on your worst days rather than your best days, since the assessment looks at how your condition impacts you most of the time.
After returning the form, most applicants are invited to a face-to-face, telephone or video assessment with a health professional. The assessor will ask questions about your daily activities and mobility to build a picture of how you’re affected. Following the assessment, the DWP will write to you with their decision. The whole process can take several months, but successful claims are usually backdated to the day you first contacted them.
Tips for a successful PIP claim
One of the most common mistakes people make is downplaying their symptoms because they want to appear independent or capable. The PIP assessment is specifically designed to identify how your condition limits you, so it’s important to be completely honest about the difficulties you experience. If your condition fluctuates, explain how often you have bad days and what those days look like in detail.
Gathering supporting evidence makes a real difference. Letters from your GP, hospital consultants, specialists or any healthcare professionals who treat you can all strengthen your application. Medication lists, hospital appointment letters and any documentation of recent admissions or treatments are all useful. Keep copies of everything you submit, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from organisations like Citizens Advice, Turn2us or your local welfare rights service if you’re finding the process overwhelming.
The full list of 26 respiratory conditions that qualify
Here are all 26 respiratory conditions that the DWP recognises as potentially qualifying for PIP:
1. Diseases of the upper respiratory tract
2. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis or emphysema)
3. Bronchiectasis
4. Cystic fibrosis
5. Asthma
6. Pulmonary fibrosis
7. Pneumoconiosis
8. Granulomatous lung disease and pulmonary infiltration
9. Disease of the pleura
10. Heart and lung transplantation
11. Pulmonary embolus
12. Infectious diseases of the respiratory tract
13. Other diseases of the lower respiratory tract
14. Sleep apnoea – obstructive
15. Other diseases of the upper respiratory tract
16. Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
17. Fibrosing alveolitis
18. Asbestosis
19. Silicosis
20. Sarcoidosis
21. Empyema
22. Pleura
23. Pleural effusion
24. Pneumothorax
25. Pulmonary embolus
26. Pneumonia
The conditions that affect the most people
Some of the conditions on this list are far more common than others. Asthma affects millions of people in the UK, with around 5.4 million people receiving treatment for it. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, often shortened to COPD, affects roughly 1.2 million people in the UK, although many more are thought to be living with it undiagnosed.
Sleep apnoea is another condition that’s becoming increasingly recognised, with estimates suggesting around 1.5 million people in the UK have obstructive sleep apnoea. Sarcoidosis, while less common, affects around one in 10,000 people in the UK. The takeaway is that if you have one of these conditions and it’s definitely affecting your day-to-day life, it’s well worth checking whether you might qualify for PIP support.
What to do if your claim is refused
Plenty of PIP claims are initially refused, only to be overturned at later stages. If your application is rejected, or you’re awarded less than you believe is fair, you have the right to ask for a mandatory reconsideration within a month of receiving the decision. This is where the DWP looks at your case again, and it’s worth adding any new evidence at this stage.
If you’re still unhappy after the reconsideration, you can take your case to an independent tribunal. Statistics show that a large percentage of tribunal appeals are successful, particularly when claimants have proper support and have gathered strong medical evidence. Don’t give up on a claim just because the first decision didn’t go your way, as the appeals process exists precisely because the initial assessment isn’t always right.
Where to get help with your application
There are several free services that can help guide you through the PIP process. Citizens Advice has trained advisers who can help you fill in the forms, prepare for your assessment and challenge decisions if needed. Turn2us has a benefits calculator and detailed guides specific to PIP applications. Local welfare rights services, often run through councils or charities, also offer practical one-to-one help.
For people with specific conditions, charity helplines can also offer support tailored to your situation. Asthma + Lung UK, the British Lung Foundation and similar charities frequently have benefits advisers who understand the specific challenges of respiratory conditions. Getting expert help with your application is often the difference between a successful claim and a frustrating refusal, so don’t try to navigate it all alone if you don’t have to.
