Attendance Allowance for COPD & chronic lung conditions

COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and pulmonary fibrosis all cause breathlessness that limits what you can do. If you're over State Pension age and need help because of a lung condition, Attendance Allowance can pay up to £108.55 a week.

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How COPD & chronic lung conditions can qualify you

To get Attendance Allowance you need to show that your COPD & chronic lung conditions causes you to need help with personal care, supervision, or both — not just that you have the diagnosis. The DWP cares about the effect the condition has on your day-to-day life.

For people with COPD & chronic lung conditions, the kinds of needs that often qualify include:

  • Help with washing, dressing or bathing because of breathlessness on exertion
  • Help carrying shopping, laundry, or anything that involves walking or stairs
  • Supervision because of falls when oxygen levels drop, or because of severe coughing fits
  • Help managing oxygen, nebulisers or inhalers — including night-time use
  • Help at night because of disturbed sleep, coughing, or needing to sit up to breathe

Real-world examples we'd write on the form

The AA1 form rewards detail. A claim that just says "I have COPD & chronic lung conditions" will be turned down. A claim that describes the practical impact — what goes wrong, how often, who helps — gets paid. Here are the kinds of things we'd put down for someone with COPD & chronic lung conditions:

  • 'I can't shower without sitting on the stool and stopping halfway through to get my breath. My wife stays in the bathroom in case I get dizzy.'
  • 'I'm on oxygen for 16 hours a day. My daughter sets up the canister, checks the flow rate, and makes sure the tubes aren't kinked.'
  • 'Walking from the bed to the toilet leaves me gasping. At night my husband helps me — sometimes three or four times.'
  • 'I had a bad chest infection last winter. I was admitted twice. Now my son rings me every morning and pops in after work — I'm not safe alone for more than a day.'

We do this part for you — most people find it hard to write about their own struggles, and our team know exactly what the DWP is looking for.

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