DLA for COPD question

I wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on claiming DLA for COPD/ Emphysema ?, as I've been led to believe that it can be difficult to get DLA for that condition.

I have had it for a few years now, after a bout of Pneumonia which almost killed me about four years ago, I have difficulty with walking any distance, and doing any form strenuous exercise and have problems with more than on flight of stairs at a time, although even that can leave me gasping for air, I have to use a couple of different inhalers, and have to sleep upright in bed so I can breathe in bed at night, and most mornings it takes me about an hour before I can do anything even remotely strenuous, and life is really getting quite difficult.

My nurse says that I have the lung capacity of an eighty yr old, even though I am only 49, when I have taken my yearly lung capacity test.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Richard wrote: I wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on claiming DLA for COPD/ Emphysema ?, as I've been led to believe that it can be difficult to get DLA for that condition.

I have had it for a few years now, after a bout of Pneumonia which almost killed me about four years ago, I have difficulty with walking any distance, and doing any form strenuous exercise and have problems with more than on flight of stairs at a time, although even that can leave me gasping for air, I have to use a couple of different inhalers, and have to sleep upright in bed so I can breathe in bed at night, and most mornings it takes me about an hour before I can do anything even remotely strenuous, and life is really getting quite difficult.

My nurse says that I have the lung capacity of an eighty yr old, even though I am only 49, when I have taken my yearly lung capacity test.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Hi R,

I know many people who are in receipt of DLA who suffer from COPD.

Remember it is your Walking Limitations and/or Care Needs as a result of your medical conditions that matter, more so than the conditions themselves.

Documentation regarding your Spirometry Test, "lung age" PEF, Peak Flow etc, should all help with your claim.

See : guidance.nice.org.uk/CG101

www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-g...cal-conditions/copd/

www.peakflow.com/top_nav/normal_values/index.html

You can access our : DLA claims guides here :

DLA Guides

And our : DLA FAQ’s

See also :

DM Guide AA & DLA :

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch61.pdf

&

DR UK DLA & AA :

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/f23.htm

If you are to make a fresh claim for DLA you should do so before June 2013, (or April 2013 if you are in one of the pilot start up areas), as after that, all new claims will be for PIP, and not DLA.

See :

www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/disability/persona...endence-payment/#soa

See these 3 links for all site information on PIP :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/dla/#pip

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=topic&catid=10&

Please return to this topic if you have any further queries.

bro58

PIP Start Pilot Areas from April 2013 :

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/timetable-for-pip-replacing-dla.pdf

bro58