The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed the full list of 24 respiratory conditions that qualify claimants for weekly Personal Independence Payment (PIP) rates of up to £114.80.
According to the latest DWP data, released last week, there are a total of 144,732 PIP claims linked to the various respiratory conditions. The list includes conditions such as sleep apnoea, pneumonia, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Rising number of PIP claimants
Government figures show that more than four million people were claiming PIP as of April 2026. The newly released data records 4,010,098 claimants, up from 3,926,015 in January of this year.
PIP is a disability benefit paid by the DWP to help with some of the extra costs caused by long-term disability, ill-health, or when people are approaching the end of their life due to a progressive disease. The benefit is not a single flat rate but is divided into two parts based on how a claimant's condition affects their independence.
Payment rates for daily living and mobility
The daily living component covers the extra costs of managing everyday tasks. The standard rate is set at £76.55 per week, while the enhanced rate provides £114.80. The mobility component addresses the challenges of getting around, with a base rate of £30.20 and an increased level of £80.10.
By qualifying for the enhanced daily living rate and a portion of the mobility support, eligible claimants can see their weekly total reach £187, totalling £748 per month.
Eligibility and the full list of conditions
Eligibility for PIP is not determined by National Insurance contributions and is not means-tested, meaning that even those who are employed, have savings, or receive other benefits can still qualify. PIP is not automatic, and the DWP assesses how difficult claimants find daily living and mobility tasks. To get PIP, claimants must experience difficulty with tasks more than half of the days over a 12-month period.
The full list of qualifying respiratory conditions and the number of associated claims as of April 2026, according to the DWP, is as follows:
- Sleep apnoea - obstructive - 4,160
- Upper respiratory tract - Other diseases of / type not known - 1,599
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) chronic bronchitis/emphysema - 92,337
- Bronchiectasis - 2,873
- Cystic fibrosis - 3,148
- Asthma - 26,581
- Extrinsic allergic alveolitis - 40
- Fibrosing alveolitis - 45
- Pulmonary fibrosis - Other / type not known - 1,718
- Asbestosis - 120
- Pneumoconiosis - coalworkers - 10
- Pneumoconiosis - Other / type not known - 52
- Silicosis - 13
- Granulomatous lung disease and pulmonary infiltration - Other / type not known - 1,899
- Sarcoidosis - 2,795
- Empyema - 144
- Pleura - Other diseases of / type not known - 152
- Pleural effusion - 85
- Pneumothorax - 254
- Lung transplantation - 151
- Heart and lung transplantation - 42
- Pulmonary embolus - 1,689
- Pneumonia - 710
- Lower respiratory tract - Other diseases of / type not known - 4,118
These figures reflect the number of PIP claims for each condition as of April 2026, based on the latest DWP data.
