Versus Arthritis Statement

Deborah Alsina MBE, chief executive of Versus Arthritis said:

Versus Arthritis supports the government’s ambition to help more disabled people into work, but we are hugely disappointed by today’s announcement that they plan to cut disability benefit as part of this. In the UK, 1 in 5 people out of work live with a musculoskeletal (MSK) condition like arthritis – often painful, fluctuating conditions that can dominate a person’s life at any age. MSK conditions are a leading cause of disability in the UK and not everyone can work due the severity of their condition. However, we know that many in our community want to work and can do so with the right support.

However, cutting access to disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or the health top-up of Universal Credit is not the answer. As people with arthritis are one of the largest groups in receipt of PIP, a benefit that can help with the extra costs of living with a disability, these cuts will have a negative impact on their daily lives. Instead, what people with arthritis who are able to work need is timely access to treatment, tailored employment support and workplace adjustments to help them stay in, or return to, the right job.

For people unable to work, a fair and compassionate benefits system is essential. We are concerned that proposed disability benefit changes could further penalise people whose health prevents them from working. Disability benefits are a vital lifeline, whether people are in work or not.

The government must honour its manifesto commitment and champion disabled people’s rights by working with them to fix the system, not against them. That’s why we’ve joined others in signing Scope’s open letter, calling on the Chancellor to think again about cuts to these essential benefits.