Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

DisabilityMusculoskeletal disordersReturn to work and rehabilitationOccupational Health

Staff with arthritis need more government support, urges charity

by Ashleigh Webber 2 Jul 2019
by Ashleigh Webber 2 Jul 2019 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Thousands of people with arthritis are missing out on government support that will help them stay in work, while those who receive support report issues with communication and a lack of appropriate equipment.

Six in 10 people (59%) with the condition had not heard of the Access to Work scheme, which offers people with health conditions support at, and travelling to and from, work. Meanwhile, 10% were aware of the scheme but did not know what it could offer them.

Arthritis

Joint pain? Why we need a better evidence base for musculoskeletal disorders and work

Fifth of arthritis sufferers quit work because of unsupportive employers, warns charity

Of the 10% of people who had used Access to Work, many claimed to have had issues contacting the Department for Work and Pensions about it and found a lack of appropriate workplace equipment to support them.

The survey of 1,582 people with arthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions, commissioned by charity Versus Arthritis, also identified problems with the condition of equipment provided, with one in five respondents who used the scheme and needed equipment upgrading or repairing found this difficult or very difficult to do. However, four in five said the equipment had improved their working lives.

Almost half of arthritis sufferers found it harder to travel to and from work because of their condition, while a third who used the scheme found it difficult or very difficult to arrange their travel.

There was also a lack of awareness about the scheme’s review procedure. Three-quarters of respondents supported by Access to Work claimed they did not know their entitlement would be reviewed every three years.

Versus Arthitis urged the government to better support the needs of people with conditions who wanted to stay in work by addressing the problems with the Access to Work Scheme, as well as increasing awareness of its existence.

Tracey Loftis, head of policy and public affairs at the charity, said: “17.8 million people in the UK are living with arthritis and other MSK conditions, with half in pain every single day.

“It’s essential that people with arthritis are supported and empowered to do the jobs they want to do for as long as they are willing and able to do so. However, this won’t be possible unless they’re made aware of the support that they could be entitled to via programmes such as Access to Work, and the problems with such support are urgently addressed.”

The charity’s Working it Out: Demanding More from the Access to Work scheme report said that the support offered to working people with arthritis must be improved if the government is to meet its target of getting one million more disabled people in work by 2027.

On such person, “Nigel”, who works in construction, told the charity that more needs to be done to ensure access to adapted equipment to allow arthritis sufferers to do their job.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“In my industry, people are always talking about having bad knees, backs and joints. I once saw a colleague with arthritis in his hands wrap insulating tape around the handle of a chisel to make it larger and soft enough to hold. Surely more can be done for people who work on building sites, such as providing lighter or more ergonomic tools?” he said.

OH job opportunities on Personnel Today

Browse more OH jobs

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
When does keeping tabs on working time overstep the line?
next post
Pregnant worker who challenged working hours wins unfair dismissal claim

You may also like

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

Tool developed for employers to calculate cost of...

28 Apr 2025

Why employers must do more to support all...

24 Apr 2025

How to help employees quit vaping before new...

22 Apr 2025

NHS urging people to check for cancer warning...

22 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today