Advice on benefits for COPD when retired

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happyfella

Hi, my wife got a phone call from this service at her doctors. She has COPD and she is due to retire in about six months. The advisor at her doctors rang her to say that she would be entitled to an enhance benefit when she retires. She currently works part time as she looks after me. She was due to stay on at work but because she looks after me and because her COPD is affected by her workplace, she has decided to retire.

She did not really understand what the advisor was saying and does not want to ring them up. According to the advisor, as well as claiming her pension, there is also a benefit that she could claim because she has COPD.

Has anyone ever heard of this.

calcotti

There are no DWP benefits to claim based solely on a diagnosis of COPD. Disability benefits are assessed by looking at the impact a health condition has on an individual’s ability to carry out various tasks.

If you receive a disability benefit yourself then perhaps she can claim Carer’s Allowance for looking after you when she is no longer earning (unless she will be in receipt of her State Pension).

Is it possible the adviser was referring to an enhanced pension from the employer?

The only way to find out more information is to speak to the mother again. Anything else is guesswork.