Originally published: August 2018
Last reviewed: July 2026
If you have been invited to attend a disability assessment, it is natural to feel anxious. Many people worry about saying the wrong thing, forgetting important information or not being believed.
The purpose of the assessment is not simply to confirm your diagnosis. Instead, it aims to understand how your health condition affects your daily life, including your ability to carry out everyday activities safely, reliably and repeatedly.
For people living with aspergillosis, symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, chronic cough, medication side effects and frequent infections can all have a significant impact on daily life, even if they are not always obvious to other people.
This guide explains how to prepare for your assessment and how to describe your symptoms clearly and honestly.
What is a disability assessment?
Several UK benefits and support schemes may involve an assessment of how your condition affects your daily life. These include:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Adult Disability Payment (Scotland)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit health assessments
The assessment is usually carried out by an independent healthcare professional working on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the relevant national authority.
The assessor is interested less in the name of your condition than in understanding how it affects your ability to manage everyday tasks.
Before your assessment
Good preparation can make the assessment less stressful and help ensure you provide an accurate picture of how your condition affects you.
You may find it helpful to gather:
- recent clinic letters
- hospital discharge summaries
- lung function results, where available
- CT scan reports if relevant
- your current medication list
- details of inhalers, nebulisers or oxygen therapy
- letters from your GP or specialist nurse
Having these documents available can help you answer questions confidently and provide supporting evidence if requested.
Keep a symptom diary
Many people underestimate how much their condition affects them because they gradually adapt to living with it.
Keeping a diary for one or two weeks before your assessment can help you remember important details.
Record things such as:
- how far you can walk before stopping
- how often you become breathless
- episodes of coughing or coughing up blood
- levels of fatigue
- sleep disturbance
- days when you cannot leave the house
- help you receive from family or friends
This provides real-life examples that are often easier to explain during the assessment.
Describe your worst days as well as your better days
Many long-term lung conditions fluctuate. Some days may be manageable, while others are much more difficult.
It is important to explain:
- how often bad days occur
- how long they last
- what you cannot do during these periods
If your condition varies, explain what happens on both good and bad days rather than describing only how you feel on the day of the assessment.
Explain how your symptoms affect everyday life
Assessors are interested in the practical impact of your condition.
Rather than simply saying:
“I get breathless.”
Explain what that means in daily life.
“I have to stop halfway up the stairs to catch my breath.”
Instead of saying:
“I’m tired all the time.”
You might explain:
“After having a shower I usually need to rest for an hour before I can prepare breakfast.”
These practical examples help assessors understand the real impact of your condition.
Remember the symptoms people cannot see
Not all symptoms are visible.
People living with aspergillosis often experience:
- severe fatigue
- brain fog
- poor concentration
- chronic cough
- disturbed sleep
- medication side effects
- anxiety about breathlessness or haemoptysis
- recurrent infections
These symptoms can significantly affect daily living, even when you appear well during the assessment.
Be honest about the help you need
Many people naturally try to remain independent and may overlook the assistance they receive from others.
Think about whether family members or friends help you with:
- shopping
- housework
- gardening
- transport
- preparing meals
- managing medication
- heavy lifting
Needing help occasionally is still important to mention.
Medication side effects matter too
Your symptoms are only part of the picture.
Treatments for aspergillosis and associated conditions may also affect daily life.
Examples include:
- fatigue
- nausea
- light sensitivity
- tremor
- dizziness
- sleep disturbance
- frequent blood tests and hospital appointments
Explain how these affect your ability to work, travel or carry out everyday activities.
During the assessment
Try not to rush your answers.
If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be repeated or explained.
Answer honestly. Avoid both minimising and exaggerating your symptoms.
If you become upset or need to pause because of coughing or breathlessness, take your time. Assessors understand that some conditions make conversations difficult.
After the assessment
You may wish to request a copy of the assessment report once it has been completed.
If you disagree with the decision, you usually have the right to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and, if necessary, to appeal.
Many successful claims are awarded following reconsideration or appeal, so do not assume the first decision is always final.
Getting support
You do not have to manage the process alone.
Help may be available from:
- Citizens Advice
- local welfare rights advisers
- disability charities
- hospital benefits advisers where available
- your GP or specialist team, who may be able to provide supporting medical evidence
Key points to remember
- Prepare before your assessment.
- Use real-life examples rather than general statements.
- Describe both good days and bad days.
- Include fatigue, medication side effects and invisible symptoms.
- Be honest about the help you need.
- If you disagree with the decision, remember that you may be able to request a review or appeal.
Further information
You may also find these articles helpful:
- Disability Verification and Support for People with Aspergillosis in the UK
- Living with Aspergillosis
- Managing Fatigue
- Understanding Bronchiectasis
References
- Department for Work and Pensions. Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide.
PIP Assessment Guide for Assessment Providers – GOV.UK
- Department for Work and Pensions. Work Capability Assessment Guidance.
Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment – GOV.UK
- Citizens Advice. Benefits and disability assessment guidance.
Benefits guidance – Citizens Advice
- NHS. Living with long-term respiratory conditions.
Living with COPD – NHS
