'It's a vicious cycle': Labour's benefit cuts could push people with MS out of work, report finds

Half of UK workers with multiple sclerosis (MS) have felt forced to stay in jobs that worsen their health, a damning new report has found – and the government’s disability benefit reforms could make matters worse.

More than 150,000 Brits – or one in every 400 adults – live with MS, a lifelong neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord.

MS can cause problems with movement and thinking, making commuting and completing certain tasks challenging. 

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With the right support, workers with MS can thrive. But such support is often non-existent, a survey by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University and the MS Society has warned.

Of 1,100 respondents with MS, half felt forced to stay in jobs that harmed their health. On the other end of the spectrum, an equal amount felt that they had been pushed out of the workforce unnecessarily. 

Fifty percent of respondents said they had left a job at some point due to factors related to their condition. Nearly one in three believed they could have stayed in work if better government support – such as improved access to benefits – had been available.

The findings come as the UK government prepares to tighten eligibility criteria for personal independence payment (PIP) – a benefit claimed by more than half (55%) of respondents, including 41% who are currently working.

Sarah Martin is one of them. The 51 year-old from Ramsbottom is a civil servant, living with relapsing multiple sclerosis. 

Her employers have been very supportive, but the mum of two relies on PIP to help manage her living costs. 

“My main MS symptoms are intense pain, fatigue and problems with movement,” she said. “I had a major relapse a couple of years ago, and since then have been claiming PIP to help with my costs. Receiving PIP means that I can afford to work part time and better manage my symptoms.”

But the government’s plans to tighten eligibility criteria could have a detrimental effect on her working life.

“In my assessment, I didn’t receive more than two points for any daily living activity. This means that under the new rules I could lose out on my daily living allowance when I get reassessed. If that happened, I might have to go back to work full time which would put me under strain and just make all my symptoms worse. It would mean I’d have to take more time off sick, and it would become a vicious cycle.”

Ross Barrett, policy manager at the MS Society, called on the government to reverse proposed cuts to disability benefits.

“Many people with MS are leaving work before they want or need to, or are feeling forced to compromise their health due to financial pressures,” he said. “Living with MS can be debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable – not to mention expensive. But access to PIP allows people to meet their extra costs, like visits from carers to help with things like washing, cooking and getting to work in the morning.”

It’s not just the government that is failing workers. Nearly half (45%) of respondents who were forced to leave work said that better understanding of multiple sclerosis by their employer would have made a difference, while 41% pointed to a lack of reasonable adjustments, such as flexible hours or working from home.

Those who do stay in the workforce face curtailed opportunities. According to the report, roughly a third (31%) of workers with MS are employed in roles that do not match their skill level.

Many cited a lack of workplace support, poor understanding of their condition and insufficient access to government benefits as reasons for accepting roles below their qualifications. 

Ben Harrison, director of the Work Foundation, said government assistance could support people with MS to stay in work.

“With the right support from government and employers, many people with MS can continue to lead productive and fulfilling working lives,” he said. 

“It’s critical that the government rethinks its plans to cut back access to welfare payments, as doing so could actually lead to fewer people with conditions like MS being able to enter and remain in work in the future.”

The report also makes several recommendations for employers, including proactively implementing reasonable adjustments, embedding flexible working practices, and training line managers to understand fluctuating and invisible conditions like multiple sclerosis.

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