to ask if AF is considered a disability?

[Sparklymommy]

My dh was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation about nine months ago. He has been hospitalised (overnight) on 3 or 4 occasions in the past nine months due to this. Would this be considered a disability? He is a hard worker but I am concerned that his work and stress levels are compounding the AF. My SIL feels that this is a disability and we could get some help (which is much needed due to Dh being the only driver in the house/ only worker/ breadwinner).

Working, and having a chronic illness that affects you every day is hard. I know, I am in this situation. In terms of work, he probably would be considered disabled. But I doubt very much you would get any benefits to help out. I am sorry, but you will both probably just have to struggle on like many of us.

I think that as far as his job is concerned he may now be classed a disabled under the equality act. This means that an employer has to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to avoid him being put at a disadvantage compared to non-disabled people in the workplace.

I doubt that he is entitled to any benefits though. It's worth applying to find out though.

DLA is no more, I think. Get dh to go to CAB and ask them to help him apply for Personal Independence Payment. No harm in seeing if he qualifies. One of my colleagues who knows about such things was telling me that the test is whether you need help with personal care at least 50% of the time. There is a face to face medical with the dreaded ATOS for every claimant.

Agree with what whatever5 said. If it's a chronic health condition, then it should count under the Equality Act, and he should declare it to his employer in order to get any reasonable adjustments required.

However since he's clearly able to work, even if he can't perform as well, he will not be eligible for ESA (which is income for people who can't work).

There's a faint possibility he might be eligible for DLA/PIP (help towards additional costs of being disabled), because there's a component specifically for mobility. But if the episodes aren't frequent and he can still walk more than 20 metres without severe discomfort or harm, he'll just be expected to use public transport if he can't drive.

In fact, I would be thinking carefully about your family strategy and finances at this point.

It depends on your DH's job and employer, but he may be at risk of the awful trap that hits the mild to moderately disabled/ill: too well for benefits, not well enough to please employers. Your DH should be proactive about managing this situation with his employer, making sure they understand he is protected by the Equality Act and also finding ways to minimise the impact on his work. You do NOT want to be in the situation where he is pushed out for capacity/attendance reasons and then unable to find another job because of same.

Oh, and as various people have said, what matters isn't the name of the condition but its severity for that individual and its impact on daily life.

The rules on mobility have changed during the last few years.
In order to get higher rate mobility allowance your DH would need to be incapable of walking 20 metres without severe discomfort or support on a daily basis.
He might be eligible for the lower level of mobility allowance, but even for that he would need to be in significant discomfort when walking a short distance.
You need to get the higher rate to get a motability vehicle or to apply for help with funding driving lessons and as your DH can manage to get around on most days he probably wouldn't meet the criteria for the higher rate.
3 overnight hospital admissions in 9 months is actually not a great deal. An asthmatic person can have 3/4 admissions lasting several days within a 9 month period and they still probably wouldn't be eligible for the higher rate if they manage okay on all the other days with the use of their inhalers and other Meds.
I think your best and most realistic option is to pay for your own driving lessons and add yourself to your husbands car insurance.

Out of curiosity: has your husband contacted the DVLA to make them aware that he has AF as it is probably on the list of conditions that they need to know about in case the condition makes it unsafe for him to drive.

Sorry for the third post: but your husband could be fined £1000 if he doesn't tell the DVLA about his condition.

My husband has cancer and has had numerous episodes in hospital, both routine and emergency. I wouldn't for a moment think that he had a disability. Lots of people live for decades on medication for health issues and carry on as normal.

It's fair to ask and it may be worth looking into, but I would be surprised if there is any help available.

My step father had very debilitating heart problems, can't walk beyond garden and needs to sleep in the day and he doesn't qualify as disabled, no benefits or home help available but after several years of trying has just qualified for a blue parking badge.

Your DH could get some support from work regard managing stress levels? and his GP for a healthy lifestyle?

I do think many people don't understand how hard it is for many of us who have chronic illnesses, to continue to work full time. I am in my 40's, and I do wonder how the hell I can continue like this until retirement. But there is no help at all. We just have to get on with it as best as we can.

Disability benefits are incredibly hard to get these days and no, AF is not considered a debilitating illness since it's more or less easily controlled with the right medication. May I ask why you don't drive? And why your husband is the only worker in the family? You said you want to relieve him of some stress, so right there would be two very good places to start.

Ginger, it isn't actually easily controlled with the right medication. I have a friend with AF who has had it for a year, and in spite of medication, is still struggling with constant tiredness.

Grennie, then he's not on the correct meds perhaps. I work in cardiology trials and there are literally thousands of people walking around with undiagnosed AF that never affects them. Only ever shows up on routine ECG. Of course people can have more severe AF which is more difficult to control, but in essence it is NOT considered a disability, any more than say, migraine or IBD or other chronic illness.

I'm not minimising it, by the way. I have a chronic illness too which can be at best a nuisance and at worst an epic effort just to get through the day. But it is not a disability which requires a government handout.

Perhaps you should get a job whilst your DC are at school to pay for driving lessons? You'd only need a few hours a week to pay for something like that.

DP had a stroke last year, yet isn't considered disabled enough to get any extra benefits. You can try, but don't expect anything

Oh and I thought this was going to be a disabled loo thread, I assumed you meant Aunty Flo

your husband now has a long term illness than can be disabiling (sp) are you thinking about benefit he can try and claim DLA as he has a LTI

Ginger - My friend, a woman, has been back and forward to the Dr, had medications changed, been in twice to have her heart stopped and restarted. It is now being suggested, that basically she will have to live with it. She is self employed, and is no longer managing to work full time.