State pensioners suffering from asthma and 23 other respiratory conditions may be eligible for an additional weekly payment of £114 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The top-up comes through Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a disability benefit designed to help with extra costs arising from long-term ill health or disability.
Eligibility and Claim Statistics
As of June 2026, a total of 142,980 claims have been made under this provision, with a notable spike in applications from individuals whose respiratory conditions significantly impact their daily lives. The DWP has confirmed that pensioners who have not yet applied may still qualify for the £114 weekly boost. PIP is not automatic; the DWP assesses how difficult claimants find daily living and mobility tasks. To qualify, claimants must experience difficulty with these tasks most of the time — defined as more than half of the days over a 12-month period.
Full List of Qualifying Respiratory Conditions
The DWP has released a comprehensive list of 24 respiratory conditions that may qualify for PIP. The conditions and the number of claims for each are as follows:
- Sleep apnoea (obstructive): 3,900
- Upper respiratory tract (other diseases/type not known): 1,562
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis/emphysema: 91,773
- Bronchiectasis: 2,809
- Cystic fibrosis: 3,140
- Asthma: 26,052
- Extrinsic allergic alveolitis: 37
- Fibrosing alveolitis: 43
- Pulmonary fibrosis (other/type not known): 1,690
- Asbestosis: 121
- Pneumoconiosis (coalworkers): 10
- Pneumoconiosis (other/type not known): 52
- Silicosis: 13
- Granulomatous lung disease and pulmonary infiltration (other/type not known): 1,848
- Sarcoidosis: 2,734
- Empyema: 140
- Pleura (other diseases of/type not known): 145
- Pleural effusion: 75
- Pneumothorax: 249
- Lung transplantation: 148
- Heart and lung transplantation: 41
- Pulmonary embolus: 1,634
- Pneumonia: 696
- Lower respiratory tract (other diseases of/type not known): 4,048
How to Apply and Other Benefits
PIP helps with extra costs caused by long-term disability, ill-health, or when approaching the end of life due to a progressive disease. State pensioners may also be eligible for Attendance Allowance if they have a physical or mental disability severe enough to require care or supervision, and have needed that help for at least six months. The DWP encourages all eligible pensioners to check their entitlement and apply for the additional support.
