Your rights at work
Type 2 diabetes can count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if it has a substantial, long-term effect on your daily life, judged as if you were not taking your treatment. If it counts, your employer must consider reasonable adjustments, such as:
- breaks to eat, check your blood sugar or take medicine
- time off for appointments, eye screening and education courses
- regular shift patterns, if changing shifts makes diabetes hard to manage
Free prescriptions
In England, if you take medicine for diabetes (not diet alone), you can get a medical exemption certificate, which gives you free prescriptions for all your medicines. Ask your GP surgery for the form. Prescriptions are free for everyone in Wales.
Benefits
PIP is based on how your health affects your daily life. Type 2 diabetes on its own does not usually affect people enough to qualify. But complications can, for example:
- nerve damage (neuropathy) causing pain, numbness or poor balance, which can affect walking, washing and cooking safely
- sight loss from diabetic eye disease, which can affect reading, cooking and getting around
- foot ulcers or amputation, which affect moving around
- kidney disease or heart disease causing tiredness and breathlessness
PIP points self-check
Go through the 12 PIP activities one at a time and see roughly how many points may apply to you.
About 10 minutes. Your answers never leave your device.
If you are over State Pension age, look at Attendance Allowance instead. If you cannot work because of your health, you may be able to get Universal Credit or New Style Employment and Support Allowance.
Sources we used
- GOV.UK, Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010
- NHS, Who can get free prescriptions
- GOV.UK, Personal Independence Payment
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