Versus Arthritis Statement

Statement from Deborah Alsina MBE, chief executive of Versus Arthritis:

“The Government have today decided to balance the books on the backs of some of the most vulnerable in society. Make no mistake, this is a choice that will almost certainly exacerbate poverty and health inequalities further – pushing more people to the brink, creating problems that must be picked up elsewhere, particularly in the health and social care system.

“In the UK, 1 in 5 people out of work live with a musculoskeletal (MSK) condition such as 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 to the severity of their condition.

“People do not choose to live with a life-long debilitating condition. Cutting access to disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or the health top-up of Universal Credit, is a dire indictment of this government’s view of some of the most vulnerable in our society.

“The government must honour its manifesto commitment and champion disabled people’s rights by working with them to fix the system, not against them.”