Over 13,000 tell the UK Government we need change now
We were at 10 Downing Street this month, delivering our open letter to the Prime Minister, signed by 13,494 of us!
What are we asking from the new government?
More than 150,000 people throughout the UK live with MS. We want to ensure everyone living with MS has financial security and the opportunity to succeed in work, as well as the support and healthcare they need to stay healthy and live well for longer.
In our letter we call on Keir Starmer to make real, lasting change for our community, including:
- Fixing the Personal Independent Payment (PIP) process, so that it takes into account the invisible and fluctuating symptoms people with MS often experience.
- Supporting people with MS to move into and stay in good quality employment.
- Improving access to healthcare by addressing shortages in neurologists and MS nurses.
First-hand experiences
We were joined at 10 Downing Street by our celebrity supporter Kerry Riches, who starred in the 2023 series of Big Brother. Kerry lives with MS and was the first person ever to enter the Big Brother house on a mobility scooter.
Here’s what Kerry had to say:
I’m proud to be at Downing Street today, and want to send a loud and clear message to the new Prime Minister on behalf of everyone living with MS. I personally count myself lucky to have access to a great MS team, but getting the right support can be a real postcode lottery and that needs to change.
She continued:
Being disabled means having a lot of extra costs. I’ve always worked and PIP is vital for me to be able to keep working. It helps me pay for my scooter, which is my legs, and my car, which is my independence. But the PIP assessment makes my blood boil, it’s degrading. I think anyone with MS who’s been awarded PIP should never have it taken away and I feel really passionate about this.
We were also joined by John and Phoebe who both live with MS and were part of planning our campaigning around the election.
Phoebe said:
Living with MS can be an incredibly isolating and invisible struggle. But coming to Downing Street and making myself and my disability visible, not only for myself but for the whole MS community, feels empowering.
Phoebe added:
Navigating the condition can feel like a full-time job. But as long as MS keeps knocking on my door, I'm going to keep knocking at No. 10’s door. MS is relentless but so are we!
John – who’s also the vice chair of MS Society’s England Council – says:
I’m proud to be at Downing Street today. Since retiring, I’ve decided to use my skills and experience to try and create better opportunities for younger people with MS. PIP is a means of supporting people to live life to the fullest and as independently as possible. It often helps people stay in work and make a meaningful impact.
John continued:
But the process is so broken. When I applied, I ended up having to go through mandatory reconsideration. We shouldn’t have a system that causes so much stress and anxiety for people.
What happens next?
Handing in our open letter is only the beginning of our work to lobby the new government for positive change. We’ll continue to keep up the pressure for the changes our community vitally needs.
As these plans progress, we’ll keep you updated at each stage. Join our campaigns community to be the first to hear what we are working on.
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