Working with a lung condition

Work can be harder when you have a lung condition. You may be worried about having an asthma attack or a flare-up at work, or putting your colleagues under pressure if your symptoms get worse.

Here are five ways to help you feel more confident at work:

1. Keep a copy of your self-management plan or action plan at work

This will mean colleagues can help if you get symptoms. It’s handy to have a copy on your phone too so it’s quick and easy to show people what to do if you have an asthma attack or flare-up. Download an asthma action plan, COPD self-management plan or pulmonary fibrosis self-management plan.

2. Get to know the first aiders at work

Talk to them about how they can help if you have an asthma attack or flare-up of your lung condition. It can feel reassuring to know there are people around who are there to help you.

3. Keep up your medicine routine

For example, if you use a preventer inhaler or a nebuliser, make sure you continue to use it at work as prescribed.

4. If you use a reliever inhaler, always have it with you

This will mean you can quickly deal with symptoms if you get them. You could tell your colleagues where you keep it. You could even get a spare inhaler to keep at work.

5. Tell colleagues about your condition and any triggers you have

This can feel awkward, but it’s better that they know in case your symptoms get worse. 

Everyone in the UK is protected at work by health and safety and employment laws. People with long-term conditions often have extra protection.

The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people in England, Scotland, and Wales from discrimination in the workplace because of a disability. Northern Ireland has different laws to protect disabled people from discrimination.

If you’re not sure if your condition counts as a disability, Citizens Advice has more information to help you find out.

Acas also has information about disability at work.

If your condition means you are disabled, you can get support or special arrangements in the workplace, known as reasonable adjustments. This is to make sure you have the same opportunities as everyone else at work.

Under the Equality Act 2010, reasonable adjustments include:

• making sure people with a health condition can be considered for a job
• changing the way an organisation usually does things, to reduce or remove barriers for people with disabilities
• making physical changes to the workplace
• letting you work somewhere else, such as on the ground floor of a building if going upstairs makes you breathless 
• giving you equipment that makes it easier to do your jo
• letting you work flexible hours or part-time.

It’s a good idea to speak to your employer about how your lung condition affects you. Making reasonable adjustments will help both you and your employer, as you’ll be able to do your job best when you have the right support.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has detailed information about what reasonable adjustments your employer must provide.

Citizens Advice has a guide to help you ask your employer for changes to help you.

The disability charity Scope has advice about what you can do if your employer rejects your adjustments or is not doing enough.

You may need more time off work for hospital appointments, emergencies, or when your symptoms get worse.

You know best when you need time off to recover. Explain to your employer that taking time off when you first notice symptoms getting worse will save you from having to take more time off in the future.

If you can, it’s a good idea to keep talking to your employer when you’re off sick. It will help them to plan for the time you are off. You could also ask a family member or friend to keep in touch with your employer if you’re not feeling well enough to.

Citizens Advice has more information on your rights around taking time off work, and what to do if you’re treated unfairly or dismissed for taking time off.

Taking time off for GP or hospital appointments

If you have a long-term lung condition, your employer must make reasonable adjustments to let you have time off for medical appointments related to your condition.

Sick leave and statutory sick pay (SSP)

You can take time off work if you’re sick. If you’ve been sick for more than seven days in a row, you need to get a ‘fit note’ from a healthcare professional.

If you’re sick for four days or more, you can get £99.35 a week Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). You can get SSP for up to 28 weeks. For more information about eligibility for SSP, see the government website.

If you’re not eligible for SSP or you’re sick for more than 28 weeks, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). 

If you’re self-employed and your condition affects how much you can work, you can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Citizens Advice has detailed advice about claiming sick pay. We also have more information about welfare benefits for people living with a lung condition.

Disability-related sick leave

Every workplace should have an absence policy that considers people who have to take time off because of their disability. 

Some employers do not count disability-related absence as sickness absence, but legally they are allowed to count it as sickness absence. Your employer is not allowed to discriminate against you because of your disability [link to Discrimination at work]. This means they cannot dismiss you for disability-related absence without considering:

• your reasons for absence
• whether you’ll be able to return to work
• whether your workplace could make reasonable adjustments to make it easier for you to work.

Check your employment contract

Make sure you check what your contract says about taking time off and whether you’ll be paid for it. Your contract may give you more rights than the basic legal rights.

If your child has a lung condition

If your child has a lung condition, you’re entitled to time off work when there’s an emergency. You may also be able to get time off for your child’s medical appointments, but this depends on your employer.

We have more information about managing your child’s lung condition and looking after a child with severe asthma.

Long-term sick leave

If you’re off sick for more than four weeks, your employer may consider you ‘long-term sick’. You may be worried about losing your job. But your employer cannot dismiss you until they have:

• considered if you can return to work, whether that means working flexibly or part-time, or with different duties
• talked to you about whether you could return to work and if your health will improve.

[H3] Going back to work after absence

If you’re going back to work after a long absence, it’s a good idea to have a meeting with your employer to discuss what support you need and agree a plan.

You may need adjustments, like changes to your working hours or your duties. If you’re disabled, your employer is legally required to provide these.

You may want a ‘phased’ return to work. This is when you go back to work, but do fewer hours, or have less of a workload than before. If you think a phased return could help you get back to work, talk about the options with your employer.

Going back to work after absence

If you’re going back to work after a long absence, it’s a good idea to have a meeting with your employer to discuss what support you need and agree a plan.

You may need adjustments, like changes to your working hours or your duties. If you’re disabled, your employer is legally required to provide these.

You may want a ‘phased’ return to work. This is when you go back to work, but do fewer hours, or have less of a workload than before. If you think a phased return could help you get back to work, talk about the options with your employer.
 

Discrimination is when you’re treated unfairly because of your age, disability, race or sex.  These are called protected characteristics.

You’re protected against discrimination at work under the Equality Act 2010. Your employer should not discriminate against you based on your health condition. For example, they should not use your condition as a reason to:

• decide not to employ you
• not promote you
• dismiss you or make you redundant
• take away training, benefits or pay rise opportunities.

Citizens Advice has a tool to help you check if your problem at work is discrimination.

If you think you’re being discriminated against, the first step is to talk to your line manager. You may be able to solve the problem easily this way.

If talking to your employer doesn’t solve things, you can choose to make a formal complaint. Citizens Advice has information about your options and what they involve, including advice about taking legal action and what happens at an employment tribunal.

If you’re in a union, they can also help you.

You might be able to get free legal help – Citizens Advice has more details. You can also contact Acas or the Equality Advisory and Support Service for help.
 

If you’re working but you’re on a low income, you might be able to get Universal Credit. You may also be eligible for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

You could also get support getting to work if your condition means you find it hard to commute. Access to Work grants can help with things like taxi fares if you cannot use public transport. Find out if you’re eligible for an Access to Work grant.

We have more information about other benefits available to people living with a lung condition.