Health advice > Severe asthma > Making life easier with severe asthma
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Why you may be entitled to benefits if you have severe asthma
Some of the rules around benefits
Benefits you might be entitled to
Why you may be entitled to benefits if you have severe asthma
You may be entitled to benefits if you:
- Are struggling to move around and need care because of mobility issues.
- You can't work due to your severe asthma.
- You can’t work full time and are on a low income.
- You have someone care for you because of your severe asthma.
- You care for someone who has severe asthma.
If you think you might be entitled to benefits you can use a website that lets you check what you could get. They are free to use and you do not have to give your name.
Some of the rules around benefits
- If you have severe asthma you are entitled to benefits depending on how it affects your daily life and ability to work. This means that you may have to be assessed by a health professional as part of applying for a benefit.
- Benefits can be means-tested or non-means tested, if the benefit is means-tested it will take into account what other money you have such as income and/or savings.
- Benefits can be contributory or non-contributory. You need to have paid a certain amount of national insurance to get a contributory benefit.
- There is a limit to the total amount of benefit that most people aged 16 to 64 can get. This is called the benefits cap. But you’re not affected by the benefit cap if anyone in your household gets certain benefits such as Attendance Allowance (AA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Working Tax Credit.
Benefits you might be entitled to
Care and mobility
If you have difficulties with daily living needs, getting around or need a carer’s help you could be entitled to the following:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
PIP has replaced the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) but if you are getting the DLA now you do not need to do anything because you will be contacted by the Department of Work and Pensions when you need to apply for PIP.
If you are not getting DLA you can apply for PIP. There are two parts to PIP. One part is a payment if you can’t move about easily and the other part is for daily living. If you are finding daily living difficult, you need someone to help you with daily tasks or you struggle with getting around you can apply for PIP.
- Attendance Allowance (AA)
Attendance Allowance is replacing Disability Allowance for people who have reached a state pension age or are older. You don’t have to have a carer to claim, but it is paid if you need help because of your disability.
Citizens Advice - Attendance Allowance
- Disability Premium
You may be eligible for a disability premium, which is money added to any income-related benefits you are getting (for example Income support, Income-related jobseekers allowance, or Housing benefit) if you are also eligible for disability-related benefits (for example DLA, PIP or Attendance Allowance).
Disabled Students’ Allowances
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) can give you extra financial help if you want to go to university and have an ongoing health condition, such as asthma. You don’t need to pay it back and the amount you get doesn’t depend on your household income. Instead, it depends on the help you need. A lot of people with asthma don’t realise they may be eligible to apply for a DSA.
More information
England: Disabled Student Allowances
Northern Ireland: Student Finance Northern Ireland
Scotland: Student Award Agency for Scotland
Unable to work
There are 2 types of benefits that you could be eligible for if you cannot work because of your illness:
Universal credit
Universal Credit is a payment that is meant to help with living costs for those who have a low income or are out of work. It has replaced a number of benefits but if you are on any of these you cannot claim Universal Credit. Eventually everyone will be on Universal Credit. Citizens Advice and GOV.UK have full information about Universal Credit. To apply you have to do it online at GOV.UK.
Citizens Advice Universal Credit
Occupational Asthma and asthma caused by work
If your Severe Asthma is linked to the work that you do, you could be entitled to compensation. This includes information on Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).
GOV.UK Injuries Disablement Benefit
Citizens Advice Benefits if you got ill or were injured at work
Money Advice Service Disability and Sickness benefits
Carers benefits
Carers can get financial help if they helping someone be able to live their daily life. As a carer you could apply for Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Credit. Carer’s allowance is taxable and counts as income if you are claiming means tested benefits. You can cannot claim carer’s allowance if you are getting certain other benefits but you might get a carer’s credit instead.
Citizens Advice Carers Allowance and carer’s credits
Top up benefits, including pensions, income support etc
There are a number of top-up benefits that could help you if you have a low income. These include:
- Income Support
- Tax Credits
- Pension Credit
- the new State Pension
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Reduction
You can check if you are eligible for any of these benefits on a benefits calculator or Citizens Advice has information about claiming these benefits.
Prescription costs
You might be entitled to free NHS prescriptions. If not, you can still save money by getting a NHS prescription prepayment certificate. We have information on how you can save money on prescriptions.
Help with heating costs
If you have severe asthma it is important to stay warm in winter. You may be able to apply for help with heating bills if you are on a low income, disability benefits or getting a state pension.
Last updated March 2020
Next review due February 2022
